Born in Indianapolis, Indiana on January 22, 1861, Dessar studied at the National Academy of Design in New York. In Paris, he studied with William A. Bougereau and Robert Fleury at the French Academy and the Ecole de Beaux-Arts. He became a member of the Society of American Artists in 1898; associate to the National Academy in 1900, National Academy in 1906; Salmagundy in 1895; Lotus Club in 1900. He was awarded the Third Class medal at the Paris Salon of 1891, a medal in the Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893. He was awarded honorable mention at the Carnegie Institute of Pittsburg in 1897; he was awarded the second Hallgarten prize at the National Academy in 1899 and the first Hallgarten prize in 1900. He again was awarded a Bronze medal at the Pan-Am Exposition in 1901 and Silver in the Charleston Exposition.

Museums:

Metropolitan, N.Y.

Montclair, NJ Art Museum

National Galley, Washington, D.C.

City Art Museum, St. Louis, Mo.

Biography courtesy of Roughton Galleries, www.antiquesandfineart.com/roughton