Painter, printmaker, and designer Ilario Rossi was born September 15, 1911 in Bologna, Italy. The son of artist and craftman Ferdinando Rossi, he was taught techniques of drawing, carving, and classical art history from an early age. As well, he encouraged Ilario to copy the works of more contemporary artists such as Cezanne and Picasso, ensuring that his son would be informed in both classical and new ways of approaching art. By the time Ilario Rossi enrolled in the Royal Academy of Fine Arts, Bologna in 1929, he was ahead of his fellow students in art theory and execution. While there he studied painting and engraving under Giorgio Morandi, who would remain greatly influential to Rossi throughout his career, as well as sculpture under Ercole Drei. He graduated in 1933.

Rossi exhibited extensively throughout Italy and abroad, in both group and solo exhibitions. Following the Second World War, he played an instrumental part in bolstering the Bolognese arts culture, and was a co-founder of the Galleria Cronache and editor of various arts magazines. In 1964 he was given a solo room at the Venice Biennale, which he had participated in since the early 1930s. The following year he took a teaching position at the Academy in the painting department, and in 1970 he became director of the school. He remained active until his death in Bologna on October 11, 1994.

Among the awards and recognitions he received throughout his career were the Bolognese Curlandese International Decoration Award, 1931; the Florence "Tullio Moi" award and Bevilacqua award in the Black and White catgory, 1932; the Rubicone Award at the IV Interprovincial Exhibition, Bologna, 1935; the Baruzzi Foundation of Emilia-Romagna, Bologna, 1938, 1939 and 1940; and the Ministry of Education Award at the 5th National Exhibition of Modern Art, Revenna, 1950, among many others.