During and after his studies at the Brera Academy and the Architecture School of Milan Polytechnic, he became involved in the artistic movements of the 1940s. He was one of the signatories of the Realism Manifesto in 1946. In 1948 Adriano Olivetti appointed Bonfante as graphic designer, as he recognized that his great artistic potential could be used in many publications and exhibitions. Bonfante worked for several legendary magazines including Urbanistica and Comunità. He was commissioned to design exhibition stands for major events including the Rome Olympics, Formula 1 championships and the Olivetti art and technology exhibitions outside Italy. He was the author of many books on painting. Later in life he himself became a painter in Treviso and Venice, the places where he grew up. He created architectural landscapes, especially churches. In 2003 the Archivo Storico Olivetti produced a catalogue for the exhibition of his work in Ivrea, which gives a very useful oversight of his work.