A student of Michele di Ridolfo (1503-1577), Poccetti specialized as a frescoist. During his early period, his painted facades in Florence were celebrated enough to earn him the nickname "Bernardino delle facciate"; extant examples include those decorating the Palazzo di Bianca Capello. Following a short period in Rome (1578-1580) he returned to Florence and began also to work on large-stale interior decoration. He frescoed six lunettes in the Chiostro Grande of S. Maria Novella (1582-1584) at around the same time that Cigoli (1559-1613) was working there. In 1591, Poccetti began work on decorating the monks' choir of the Certosa del Galluzo, where he continued to work on various projects until his death. In addition to frescoes in the Cappella Neri at S. Maria Maddalena de' Pazzi (1598-1600), also by Poccetti's hand are fourteen painted lunettes in the Chiostro Grande of S. Annunziata, Florence. His style is similar to those painters who were influenced by Santi di Tito (1536-1603), Cigoli among them; Poccetti's works, however, possess a mood of tranquillity that sets them apart from these (Turner, N.: From Michelangelo to Annibale Carracci. A century of Italian drawings from the Prado, Art Services International-Museo Nacional del Prado, 2008, p. 146).