José Desiderio Rosso, Self-portrait
José Desiderio Rosso was born in La Boca, on September 13, 1898. A self-taught artist, he concentrated his work on corners of his birth place and the traditions of its immigrants.
In 1940, together with artists such as Fortunato Lacámera, Vicente Vento and José Luis Menghi, he founds the Agrupación Gente de Artes y Letras Impulso, starting its activities the following year which includes Rosso’s individual exhibit.
As of 1937, he regularly exhibits at national show rooms. In 1942, he is awarded the First Place at the Salón Quilmes and in 1947 he wins the main award at the Salón de Obras Públicas in the city of Buenos Aires. In 1951he is awarded an honorary mention at the Salón Nacional, and the following year he wins the Third Place award at the Salón de Tandil. Also in 1952, he exhibits at the Intendencia Municipal in Buenos Aires and in 1953 at the Porteña Müller Gallery.
He dies in La Boca, on April 15, 1958.
During the inaugural exhibition at the Pabellón de las Bellas Artes de La Universidad Católica Argentina, on April 23, 2003, works by Rosso, Presas, Russo and Miguel Carlos Victorica, among others make up the exhibition on Argentine Sacred Art.
His work can be found at the following museums: Museo de Bellas Artes de La Boca “Benito Quinquela Martín”; el Museo Provincial de Bellas Artes in Buenos Aires and La Plata, Museo Municipal de Bellas Artes in Quilmes and the now extinct Museo Municipal de Lomas de Zamora, whose work went to the Museo “Pío Collivadino” in Banfield and Museo Americanista in Lomas de Zamora.