Miró's controversial political and social attitudes became deeply rooted in his works as he allowed the canvas to become his tool for cultural expression. His portrayal of rural landscapes and the political tensions during both the Spanish Civil War and the Second World War are extremely influential in his works, particularly The Head of a Catalan Peasant (1924-5) and the Constellation paintings (1940-1).

'The Ladder of Escape' will also explore his later paintings such as the spectacular The Hope of a Condemned Man (1973), which reflects how he interpreted the political hostility of the late Sixties. In these later works he used many innovative techniques such as setting fire to his work or creating explosions of paint; a style which made him one of Europe's most dynamic and respected artists whose legacy continues.