José Gabriel Cosio

He was born in the district of Accha, province of Paruro, department of Cusco. He was a student of philosophy, history, and literature at the National University of Saint Anthony the Abbot in Cuzco, forming part of the generation known as the Escuela Cusqueña (Cuzco School).^[3] He participated in the 1909 university reform, and from 1912 he was part of the group that published the Revista Universitaria founded by the president of the University of Cusco, Albert Giesecke, along with other notable figures in the academic scene of Cusco at the time, such as Luis E. Valcárcel, José Uriel García, Rafael Aguilar Páez, Miguel Corazao, Humberto Luna Pacheco, Francisco Tamayo, José Mendizábal, and Luis Rafael Casanova.^[4]

In 1909, he began his career as a professor of Spanish and literature. He taught at the National University of San Antonio Abad of Cusco, San Carlos School in Puno, San Juan School in Trujillo, and the National School of Sciences and Arts of Cuzco.^[5] In 1912, he was a delegate of the Peruvian government and the Geographical Society of Lima on the scientific expedition of Yale University, led by Hiram Bingham in Machu Picchu.^[6] He was also a councilman for the Municipality of Cusco, an active member of the Public Welfare Society of Cusco, founder of the American Institute of Art, and president of the Rotary Club of Cusco.

He wrote several articles on architecture, history of Cusco, and its institutions, among other topics.^[7] He died on November 23, 1960, in the city of Lima.^[5]