In 1863 he was admitted the Bolognese Academy of Fine Arts, where he studied under Giulio Cesare Ferrari, Antonio Puccinelli, and Salvino Salvini, and in 1865 he received a medal for painting.

In 1877 Serra moved to Rome, the following year he began studies for the large painting Entry of the Catholic Army into Prague (event occurring after the Battle of White Mountain) for the apse of the church of Santa Maria della Vittoria.

Among his watercolors: Mezzogiorno; Dal Colosseo (1884, exhibited at Mostra of Fine Arts in Turin); and the sketch San Carlo ai Catinari.

Despite the considerable efforts made by Serra, studying Roman history and making preparatory sketches, he lost the commission to Cesare Maccari.

In 1886, he painted a large tempera canvas depicting Irnerius glosses (elucidates) the Justinian Code for the ceiling of the council chamber of the Province of Bologna located in the Palazzo d'Accursio.

In 1888 he completes the portrait of Mrs. Enrica Whiting and studies for a painting St John of Nepomuk, commissioned by Prince Torlonia for the family chapel in San Giovanni Laterano.