On 23 March 1981, Jordi Pujol, President of the Catalan regional government, gave a speech about an art exhibition, Catalunya Avui. Embracing the artistic wealth of Catalonia, Pujol reminded the audience that when they hear of T pies, Mir , Dal , and even Picasso they ought to remember their Catalan heritage. Pujol's inclusion of Antoni T pies (1923-2012) in this company shows the mark T pies had already made as a celebrated artist. In a very different Presidential address, as Artur Mas spoke to the press about the 2014 independence referendum, T pies's enormous painting Les quatre cr niques (1990) loomed in the background - an image that took on new meanings under very different sociopolitical circumstances.

In this fascinating and thought-provoking investigation, Emily Jenkins explores both T pies's extraordinary style and his journey through Catalonia's turbulent modern history. Despite his complex relationship with the Spanish state, and having shown bold acts of political protest through his art, T pies has been f ted as one of Spain's most successful modern artists. With support from both local and regional governments, the artist opened a museum dedicated to his work in Barcelona in 1990, helping to establish T pies as a major visual artist in a resurgent Catalonia.

Emily Jenkins studied art history at Rhodes College and history at Universidad de Santiago de Compostela. She is now an independent scholar in Cantabria.