Fei was initially trained by Ridolfo del Ghirlandaio, one of the prominent Florentine painters, and also worked under Pier Francesco Foschi and was influenced by Maso da San Friano.

His most notable works include frescoes for the decoration of Palazzo Vecchio in Florence, where he contributed to both the artistic and architectural embellishment of the palace.

Piero Francia, and under Tommaso Manzuoli, better known as Maso da San Friano, Fei became a member of the Accademia dell’Arte e del Disegno in Florence in 1563 and was a trusted assistant of Giorgio Vasari up until 1574.

Fei contributed to this monumental project, which took place in the Medici Chapel in Florence, a crucial commission in honor of the great Renaissance master.

Throughout his career, Alessandro Fei continued to be recognized for his ability to work on large-scale decorative projects while retaining his skill for smaller, more intimate religious pieces.

This combination of elements is often seen as a way to blend the best of both the Italian Renaissance tradition and the detailed realism popular in the northern European schools of painting at the time.