Named Paolo Caliari, but later called Veronese after his native city of Verona, and he was born in 1528. After studying with a local painter in Verona, Veronese moved to Venice in 1553.

The local traditions of Verona were considered somewhat conservative, but Veronese would use some of them in combination with what he learned from the Venetians and the early Florentine masters.

From Titian, Veronese learned of the Venetian master's color studies, from Tintoretto
(only 10 years his senior) he learned complex compositional studies, and from the early Renaissance masters employment of architecture in his pieces.

Along with Tintoretto, Veronese was interested in architecture and was inspired by stage settings in contemporary theater productions. His works often have the appearance of characters standing on a stage, with its multi- leveled settings, the viewer feels as if he is witnessing a theatrical event.

Veronese decorated numerous villas employing foreshortened figures and other optical illusions. He became so well established that he relied heavily on his workshop which included three of his sons and his brother.