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The first major exhibition of works by the great Renaissance painter Raphael in the UK opens at the National Gallery, London, on Wednesday. This is a cartoon for the Mackintosh Madonna, dating from about 1509-11.

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The Madonna of the Pinks, which was saved from export when the National Gallery raised �22m, is the centre of the exhibition.

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Raphael started as a competent master of provincial church decoration and became one of the greatest painters who ever lived. The Garvagh Madonna, above, was painted in about 1509-10.

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He was born in Urbino in 1483 and received his first instruction in the techniques of painting from his father, Giovanni Santi, a minor artist. Saint Sebastian, above, is from 1502-3.

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Raphael spent four years in Perugia, learning from master Perugino before leaving his workshop in 1504. This painting shows The Holy Family with the Lamb, about 1507.

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In his early works, Raphael remained faithful to the Perugino School. This image shows Saint Michael, painted about 1503-4.

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In 1504, Raphael went to Florence and was influenced by a great debate about the future of art at the time. An Allegory (Vision of a Knight) was painted about 1504.

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Raphael was influenced by Michelangelo and Leonardo as this image, Leda and the Swan (after Leonardo), about 1515, shows. Raphael died just five years later.