Manfredi was born in Reggio Emilia and after graduating at the University of Bologna was for many years professor of etching at the Fine Arts Academy in Florence. He was one of the most respected and refined painters and print-makers in Italy. One of his friends was Giorgio Morandi and Manfredi made many portraits of him. He moved also in literary circles and as a result illustrated over a hundred literary works and livres d’artiste. He held many exhibitions of his paintings which received critical acclaim (the critic Maccari wrote 'Manfredi is one of the very few painters who still knows how to draw'. As a result of his fine draughtsmanship he became a very accomplished printmaker of etchings, drypoints, lithographs and linocuts, with a wonderful sense of the use of colour. His subjects include portraits, landscapes, animals and female figures and a number of catalogues have been published by leading galleries in which he exhibited, in Italy and France.
Many of his prints were not made as commercial editions, but were for his own joy in the art and most were printed in editions of 10 to 20 impressions. His work continues to be shown frequently in Italy where it has a wide following