Why study Raphael? He combined outstanding intelligence with a feeling for beauty of line and colour; was simultaneously meticulous, adaptable and adventurous. The course will examine how Raphael drew on the art of his older contemporaries in Umbria and Florence to hone his skills. Later lectures will be thematic: Rome and papal politics in the Renaissance; paintings in the Vatican Palace and tapestries for the Sistine Chapel; two chapels and mythological paintings for a wealthy banker; altarpieces, Madonnas and portraits. I will also touch on Raphael's architectural work. Thanks to prodigious hard work and efficient management of a large team, Raphael's output before his untimely death on his 37th birthday was prodigious.