Cristofano Allori was initially trained by his father, Alessandro, but moved to the studio of Gregorio Pagani over arguments concerning the naturalistic approach Cristofano favored. Pagani was a student of Ludovico Cigoli, who was in turn a student of Cristofano’s father, all benefitting from the figure drawing expertise passed on by the elder Allori. Cristofano gained important patrons and fulfilled commissions for paintings of religious subjects for cathedrals in Florence, Pistoia, and Pisa, as well as teaching many devoted students. Allori’s abilities as a figure painter and interpreter of mood and movement helped establish his career as one of the foremost Florentine artists of the early Baroque period; he also became well known as a courtier, poet, and musician.