Representations of Women in Casta Paintings of Colonial Mexico

Representations of Women in Casta Paintings of Colonial Mexico explores the power relations between men and women represented in casta paintings created during the eighteenth century in New Spain. Lacie Glover provides an overview of the genre of casta painting and its relation to the sistema de castas, the hierarchal social arrangement based on lineages intended to sustain the power of the Spanish elite. The author examines how casta scenes reinforce the authority of the Spanish male. In addition, the social construction of gender, separate spheres of men and women, and the notion of "true womanhood" are recurrent themes. Glover suggests that casta scenes reinforced the expected norms of female behavior. Furthermore, social codes of conduct varied by class, and Glover argues that elite white women are portrayed as ideal women adhering to acceptable standards of behavior in contrast to mixed-race women, who are often depicted working as food vendors (considered lower class) or displaying violent behavior. By focusing on gender, this book provides a new perspective on this subject, enriching our knowledge of societal values and the life experiences of women in colonial Mexico.