Bonfante was born in Naples, the daughter of professor [[Giuliano Bonfante]].<ref>Annuario della Nobiltà Italiana, XXXI edizione (Teglio, 2010), volume III, titolati umbertini</ref> She grew up in Princeton, NJ. Bonfante would go on to study fine arts and classics at [[Barnard College]], earning her B.A. in 1954; she completed her M.A. in classics from the [[University of Cincinnati]] in 1957 and her Ph.D. in art history and archaeology at [[Columbia University]] in 1966.<ref>[https://www.worldcat.org/title/early-etruscan-dress-studies-in-early-italian-art-and-culture/oclc/904031715&referer=brief_results {{Bare"Early URLEtruscan inline|date=Septemberdress : studies in early Italian art and culture"]. 2022}}Worldcat</ref> She studied at Columbia with [[Otto Brendel]]. Bonfante received the [[Gold Medal of the Archaeological Institute of America|Gold Medal Award]] for Distinguished Archaeological Achievement in 2007 from the [[Archaeological Institute of America]].<ref>[http://www.archaeological.org/larissabonfante%E2%80%942007goldmedalawarddistinguishedarchaeologicalachievement "Larissa Bonfante— 2007 Gold Medal Award for Distinguished Archaeological Achievement"]. http://wwwArchaeological Institute of America.archaeological.org/larissabonfante%E2%80%942007goldmedalawarddistinguishedarchaeologicalachievement {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181107145604/https://www.archaeological.org/larissabonfante%E2%80%942007goldmedalawarddistinguishedarchaeologicalachievement |date=2018-11-07 }}</ref> She was a founding member of the American section of the [[Istituto Nazionale di Studi Etruschi ed Italici]]. She edited the periodical publication ''Etruscan News'' that reported on the activities of the American section.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://josephlucchesefuneralhome.com/obituaries/larissa-bonfante/ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190829234435/https://josephlucchesefuneralhome.com/obituaries/larissa-bonfante/ | url-status=dead | archive-date=2019-08-29 |title = Larissa Bonfante – Joseph A. Lucchese Funeral Home}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://as.nyu.edu/content/dam/nyu-as/ancient/documents/Etruscan_News_FINAL_INDEX.pdf|title=Etruscan News 1–14 (2002–2012) Index|publisher=NYU}}</ref> In 2009 Bonfante was elected as a member of the [[American Philosophical Society]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.nyu.edu/about/news-publications/news/2009/may/nyus_bonfante_expert_in.html | title=NYU's Bonfante, Expert in Etruscan Civilization, Elected to American Philosophical Society }}</ref>
