拉斐尔于1483年在乌尔比诺出生，自小便跟随父亲学艺，父亲是费德里科・达・蒙特费尔特罗公爵（Duke Federico da Montefeltro）宫廷的画师，因此他很可能早已接触过皮耶罗・德拉・弗朗切斯卡（Piero della Francesca）、乌切洛（Uccello）、曼特尼亚（Mantegna）等大师的杰作。其后，拉斐尔跟随佩鲁吉诺（Perugino）学艺，至1500年时已经自立门户，并获得当地教堂的委托进行创作。1504年，他来到文艺复兴的圣地——佛罗伦萨。当时他以技术精湛的圣母像而闻名。
1508年，年仅25岁的拉斐尔获教皇尤利乌斯二世（Pope Julius II）邀至梵蒂冈的宫廷作画。 拉斐尔在罗马极受欢迎，不仅因为他出色的艺术才华，也因为他的个人魅力。其作品展现出令人耳目一新的恢弘气派。他获委托为一系列教宗寓所绘制壁画，其中包括古典主义的代表作《雅典学院》(The School of Athens)。随后，他又受委托为西斯廷教堂的墙壁设计一系列挂毯。1514年布拉曼特（Bramante）去世后，他更被任命为圣彼得大教堂的首席建筑师。
1520年，拉斐尔因突发疾病离世。此前不久，他刚完成了《年轻女子肖像》（La Fornarina）。这是一幅精致的肖像画，画中人据说是他一生挚爱的面包师女儿。
拉斐尔也留下未完成的巨作《耶稣显圣容》（The Transfiguration）。这幅作品堪称其艺术生涯巅峰之作，并为后来的风格主义和巴洛克绘画开辟道路。瓦萨里（Vasari）称之为拉斐尔“至美至圣的杰作”。在教皇利奥十世（Pope Leo X）的特许下，这幅画曾被悬挂于罗马万神殿内拉斐尔的墓室上。
Raffaello Sanzio, called Raphael (Urbino 1483-1520 Rome)
Head of a muse
Raffaello Sanzio, called Raphael (Urbino 1483-1520 Rome)
Saint Benedict receiving Maurus and Placidus
D'APRES RAPHAEL SANZIO DA URBINO (1483-1520)
Les Pilastres des Loges du Vatican par Giovanni Volpato
After Raffaello Sanzio, called Raphael
The Madonna della Seggiola
D'après Raffaello SANZIO, dit Raphaël (Urbino 1483-1520 Rome)
Le Christ au Saint Sépulcre
DANS LE GOÛT DE RAPHAËL
La Déposition
ÉCOLE FRANÇAISE DU XVIIe SIÈCLE, SUIVEUR DE RAPHAËL
Saint Michel terrassant le démon
French School, late 17th Century, After Raffaello Sanzio, called Raphael
La Belle Jardinière
After Raffaello Sanzio, called Raphael
The Madonna della Sedia
D'APRES RAPHAEL SANZIO DA URBINO (1483-1520)
Les Loges du Vatican: Vues perspectives des Loges, Porte d'Entrée des Loges, Pilastres
After Raffaello Sanzio, called Raphael
The Madonna della Sedia
After Raffaello Sanzio, called Raphael
The Madonna of the Pinks
After Raphael Sanzio, called Raphael
The Bridgewater Madonna
After Raphael Sanzio, called Raphael
The Bridgewater Madonna
NICCOLÒ VICENTINO (ACTIVE CIRCA 1540-50) AFTER RAPHAEL (1483-1520)
The Miraculous Draught of Fishes
After Raffaello Sanzio, called Raphael
The Madonna di Loreto
After Raffaello Sanzio, called Raphael
The Madonna della Sedia
D'APRES RAPHAEL SANZIO DA URBINO (1483-1520)
Porte d'Entrée des Loges du Vatican par Joann Ottaviani
After Raffaello Sanzio, called Raphael
The fire in the Borgo
After the School of Raffaello Sanzio, called Raphael
The Madonna del Divino Amore
After Raphael Sanzio, called Raphael
The Bridgewater Madonna
Emilie Lachaud de Loqueyssie (Dresden 1793-1863 Paris), after Raphael
The Sistine Madonna
MARCANTONIO RAIMONDI (1480-1534) AFTER RAPHAEL (1483-1520)
Saint Paul preaching in Athens
After Raffaello Sanzio, called Raphael
Madonna della Sedia
After Raphael Sanzio, called Raphael
The Madonna della Sedia
After Raffaelo Sanzio, called Raphael
The Madonna della Sedia
After Raphael Sanzio, called Raphael
La Donna Velata
After Raffaello Sanzio, called Raphael
The Madonna della Sedia
After Raffaello Sanzio, called Raphael
The Madonna della Sedia
After Rafaello Sanzio, called Raphael
Madonna dell'Impannata (The Madonna of the Cloth)
After Raphael
The Madonna della Sedia, in a painted oval
After Raffaello Sanzio, called Raphael
Madonna della Sedia
After Raffaello Sanzio, called Raphael
Head of a putto
After Raffaello Sanzio, called Raphael
The Madonna del Granduca
D'APRÈS RAFFAELLO SANZIO
Joseph interprétant les songes de Pharaon
NICCOLÒ VICENTINO (ACTIVE CIRCA 1540-1550) AFTER SCHOOL OF RAPHAEL (1483-1520)
Hercules and the Nemean Lion