Italian painter Cesare Dandini was a major figure of the Baroque era. The older brother of Renaissance master Vincenzo Dandini, who was his uncle, Cesare studied under his older brother. He also had three nephews, Pietro and Ottaviano. His father was a Jesuit priest and his grandfather was a successful merchant. His father was an accomplished artist, and his uncle was a prominent patron of the arts. The family had several paintings by Cesare, including "Casale di San Giulia" by his grandson.

In 2006, Iona College located a missing Baroque painting by Cesare Dandini. The professor had visited the Church of the Holy Family, two blocks from the campus. He recognized the painting by name and was able to authenticate it. The piece had been lost for 50 years, but it was recently uncovered and exhibited. The professor, who specializes in works of the old masters, had no idea the painting was so valuable.

Besides being a painter, Cesare Dandini was also a talented sculptor. His sculptures are more than a century old, and they are considered some of the most beautiful and detailed in the world. His paintings are both detailed and sculptural, with a variety of subjects and motifs. They depict the human form in an exquisite and expressive way, and their beauty is undeniably reminiscent of the Italian Renaissance.