He was part of a large group of painters, who at the time were depicting similar Middle Eastern subject matter. He became one of the most prolific Orientalist painters of the 19th century. Unlike other Orientalists, he never journeyed to the Middle East. He rarely participated in exhibitions, preferring to sell his works directly through art dealers.
His son, Alberto Rosati (1893–1971), was also an Orientalist painter. However, his son was far less productive than his father.