Defining Race and Race Relations in Colonial Mexico Casta Paintings Defining Race and Race Relations in Colonial Mexico

Casta is an Iberian word meaning “lineage”, “breed” or “race” Casta is an Iberian word meaning “lineage”, “breed” or “race”. It is derived from the older Latin word castus,“chaste”, implying that the lineage has been kept pure.

Defining castas in Mexico In the years following the conquest of Mexico, most people fell into three distinct ethnoracial categories: Nahuas (indigenous people), peninsular Spaniards, or Africans (both enslaved and free). By the early 17th century, these categories broke down quickly and castas were being defined. Some estimates place the total number of castas in use in colonial Mexico at sixty or more.

Casta Paintings Casta paintings are part of the 18th century artistic tradition of Colonial Mexico. These generally appear in groups of sixteen portraits that trace the complex racial mixing or mestizaje of the people in New Spain. Each painting depicts a couple along with one or two children. An inscription describing the ethnoracial make up of the mother, the father, and the child(ren) usually appears above the family.

As you look at the following casta paintings, think about… What details do you observe? What do these reveal in terms of attitudes toward the mixed component of the colonial population?

What do these Casta Paintings show?

What do Casta Paintings show? Paintings suggest typical clothing for different social classes

Reveal details of architectural space and home life Present meticulous depictions of everyday objects, native flora and fauna, and foodstuffs

What was the purpose of these paintings? Some have linked the emphasis on classification and organization to the influence of the Enlightenment It has been suggested that the meticulous depictions speaks not only the Spanish fascination with race, but also to the leading philosophical and scientific preoccupations of the time

Souvenirs of the “New World” Because the majority of Casta Paintings still in existence were found in Spain rather than Mexico, it has also been suggested that these were meant as souvenirs These may have been mementos that captured the newness of the “New World”, showing native plants and diverse peoples of the region

Interest in Daily Life Others have linked this artistic tradition to trends in Spanish art It is believed that Casta Paintings were influenced by Costumbrismo, an artistic movement that represented daily life and ordinary circumstances

Maintaining social and political control in Colonial New Spain Although the use and purpose for production of Casta Paintings remains uncertain, these generally suggest the fascination with race and limpieza de sangre (purity of blood) that characterized colonial mentalities. Spaniards used their elaborate system of classification to maintain social and political control, allowing the “pureblooded” to hold the top position in colonial society.