Warhol immortalized Marilyn Monroe in 1962

The first part of the exhibition leads visitors through his early work as a commercial artist and book illustrator.

Much of one room is given over to early sketches and line drawings, highlighting Warhol's love of famous people and the artist Truman Capote.

His striking sketch of James Dean's car crash does not exactly display his artistic flair, more a morbid fascination with death but with a romantic touch of leaves in the shape of love hearts.

As the exhibition progresses it returns to more familiar territory with screen prints of Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor, Elvis and Jackie O.

Dark side

The soup tins created in 1962 along with Chairman Mao (1972) are also there to be seen close up, rather than staring out from a magazine or art student's wall.

But because these images are so familiar they somehow become less striking.

There was no "wow" factor when seeing them hanging live because it was not like seeing something fresh for the first time.

Warhol himself said: "Publicity is like eating peanuts, once you start you can't stop."

Big Electric Chair was created in 1967

And the publicity constantly surrounding him - much more than 15 minutes - has probably worked to his detriment because his work has never been unfashionable and so is always in the public eye.

But other works such as the Statue of Liberty print are able to carry a new resonance as a symbol of creative and individual freedom.

Persevere through the gallery and those who do not know how Warhol's artistic career progressed will be amazed at how dark his work became.

His Disaster era is chilling to see up close, combined with a voyeuristic feeling that jars.

Should we really be seeing these squashed feet under a car as art in his Foot and Tyre (1963) piece?

Helium-filled balloons

This image leaves more to the imagination than is shown, others are more graphic in their gruesomeness.

Large flower panels dominate one room of the Tate Modern

His Electric Chair and 13 Most Wanted Men works also demonstrate the murkier side of Warhol.

But nestling between these rooms are fun bits such as the smile-evoking Silver Clouds - large helium filled silver balloons bouncing around in their own dedicated space.

Warhol was never shy about painting himself and there are many self-portraits included in the Tate Modern exhibition.

His silk screen self-portraits provide a haunting glimpse into his intense mind as each colour change appears to expose a different layer of his personality.

The Andy Warhol Retrospective at the Tate Modern runs until 1 April