He was a teacher at various high schools including at the Principe Umberto high school in Naples before becoming a professor of philology and literature in the University of Naples.
Kerbaker was born in Turin where he was raised by an uncle after the death of his mother and his father's remarriage.
He studied at the provincial college before joining the University of Turin where he received a degree in 1857.
He moved to Naples where he taught Latin and Greek at Mondovì, Ivrea and Parma before joining the Umberto I lycaeum.
In 1873 he married Assuta Bucci, artist and translator of works in English.