Born in Codroipo, a small village only a few miles from Venice, Italy in 1905, the son of a stonemason. Bosa emigrated to the U.S. at age 18 after studies at the Accademia della Belle Arti in Venice and became an American citizen. He then studied under John Sloan, of the Ashcan School, at the Art Students League in New York. A distinguished painter, Louis Bosa's work has been likened to that of artists ranging from Pieter Breughel the Elder to John Sloan and the Ashcan School.
Being an acute observer of the human condition, Bosa's paintings, which are primarily oil on canvas, often focus on people and street scenes from his native Italy. Bosa was known to have followed his subjects around, making many sketches and mental notes, and combined his observations in the final work to create visionary, fantastical images. The subjects of his paintings are highly stylized and expressionistic, and border on caricature. "People are so funny at times they are sad," he said: The people in his paintings are accessible and seem to portray human emotion and everyday life, conquering such concepts as mortality, humility and sometimes futility. His work often reveals comedy in the midst of tragedy. Many of his paintings include whimsical images of nuns riding bicycles and similar authority figures engaged in mundane activities.
He traveled extensively through Europe and often returned to his native Italy. Bosa painted for the Works Progress Administration and the Whitney Museum. He taught at the Cleveland Institute of Art, the New York Art Students League, the Parsons School of Design, Syracuse University, and the University of Notre Dame at South Bend, Indiana. His paintings and watercolors are on display at many well-known art studios and museums across the United States such as:
The Metropolitan Museum of Art - New York
The Whitney Museum - New York
The Philadelphia Museum - Pennsylvania
The Worcester Museum - Massachusetts
The Springfield Museum - Massachusetts
The Toronto Art Museum - Canada
Notre Dame University Museum
The Butler Museum - Ohio
The Columbus Museum of Arts and Crafts - Ohio
The University of Illinois - Illinois
The Montclair Museum - New Jersey
The James A. Michener Art Museum - Doylestown, Pennsylvania
The Clearwater Museum - Florida
The Wilmington Museum - Delaware
The Athenian Museum - Connecticut
The Herron Art Institute - Indiana
The Rochester Museum - New York
The Delgado Museum - New Orleans
The Richmond Art Museum - Virginia
The Academy of Arts and Letters
The Hosanna Fund
The Encyclopedia Britannica Collections
International Business Machines
The Syracuse Museum - New York
Works by Louis Bosa
Sun Down Louis Bosa
Bucks County, 1934 Louis Bosa
Two Wagons, Bucks County, PA, 1934 Louis Bosa
Skinny Dippers Louis Bosa
The Beach Louis Bosa
The Serenade, c. 1950 Louis Bosa
Misericordia Louis Bosa
Fishing Wharf Rockport Louis Bosa
Venice Canalscape, c. 1950 Louis Bosa
Costa Brava, Spain Louis Bosa
Cyclist with Birdcages and Umbrella, 1956 Louis Bosa
Island of the Monks, c. 1960 Louis Bosa
Whimsical Cocktail Sketch, ca. 1960 Louis Bosa
Cathedral in Venice Louis Bosa
Art Class, 1961 Louis Bosa
What a Lovely Dream, c. 1965 Louis Bosa
Life Cycle, 1966 Louis Bosa
A Meeting of the Monks, 1966 Louis Bosa
Flood in Venice, c. 1970 Louis Bosa
Rockport, 1971 Louis Bosa
Fancy Dress Party, c.1945 Louis Bosa
Masquerade Louis Bosa
Fantasy Flight of a Bird with two Children Louis Bosa
SOLD
View from the Plaza, 1945 Louis Bosa
SOLD
Skiing Priests Louis Bosa
SOLD
Venetian Serenade, c. 1950 Louis Bosa
SOLD
Horse Cart in Snow, Central Park, New York Louis Bosa
SOLD
Woman Raking in a Yard with Church Spire and Dome Louis Bosa
SOLD
New York City Street Scenes, 1930 Louis Bosa
SOLD
Coney Island, ca. 1930 Louis Bosa
SOLD
Lunch Break Louis Bosa
SOLD
Cabin in Snow, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, 1934 Louis Bosa
SOLD
Rail Scenes, New York City, 1934 Louis Bosa
SOLD
Rooftops, New York City, 1934 Louis Bosa
SOLD
Skaters, c. 1935 Louis Bosa
SOLD
Evening on the North River, 1943 Louis Bosa
SOLD
Snow Storm, New York City, c. 1944 Louis Bosa
SOLD
Lower Eastside, NYC, c.1945 Louis Bosa
SOLD
Dinner for One Louis Bosa
SOLD
Fish and a Martini Louis Bosa
SOLD
Top Hat Gentleman and Lady Louis Bosa
SOLD
Monkey Business, 1948 Louis Bosa
SOLD
Procession of Friars, c.1950 Louis Bosa
SOLD
Bullfight, 1950 Louis Bosa
SOLD
Self Portrait I Louis Bosa
SOLD
Watching the Game Louis Bosa
SOLD
Still Life of Flowers, c.1950 Louis Bosa
SOLD
Riviera Louis Bosa
SOLD
Costume Party Scene Louis Bosa
SOLD
Cardinal and Clerks Louis Bosa
SOLD
Three Flying Figures Louis Bosa
SOLD
Courtyard in Venice, 1951 Louis Bosa
SOLD
Cafe Piccolo, c. 1951 Louis Bosa
SOLD
Harlequin Louis Bosa
SOLD
San Barnaba, c.1951 Louis Bosa
SOLD
Cocktails for Two, Grand Canal, Venice, 1951 Louis Bosa
SOLD
An Evening Prayer, 1952 Louis Bosa
SOLD
The Onlooker, 1952 Louis Bosa
SOLD
Skiing Nuns Louis Bosa
SOLD
Flying Nuns Louis Bosa
SOLD
The Artist as Christ, 1960 Louis Bosa
SOLD
Monks Clowning, c. 1960 Louis Bosa
SOLD
The Graceful Monk, 1963 Louis Bosa
SOLD
Louis Bosa, In the Brothel Louis Bosa
SOLD
Sunday Afternoon, c.1945 Louis Bosa
SOLD
The Good Festival of Easter, c.1945 Louis Bosa
SOLD
Drawing Class, 1961 Louis Bosa