The Origins of Caste
About the Exhibition
In 2009, a trainee curator working at Leicester Museum & Art Gallery noticed a collection of paintings. They were in a state of disrepair and had been used for restoration training, these paintings revealed hidden secrets of our past.
Not only were these paintings the first pieces of art to be donated to the museum, but they were also one of the first forms of racial classification to be done in pictorial form and one of the very first collections from the Casta Paintings Genre.
Supported and funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the paintings underwent an extensive restoration process.
This Project is funded by
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The exhibition explores the Casta Paintings Genre and develops an understanding of the history of racial prejudices within Western culture
The Casta paintings are a thought-provoking genre of art that displays the ideas of colonial hypocrisies surrounding race, identity, and intersectionality. Our exhibition explores the links between race within visual arts and the science/pseudo-science of its time and looks at how these images and ideas have shaped the world we live in today. Through these paintings, we can reflect on the mindset that has detrimentally affected the global majority through racial biases from the 17th Century to now.
By showcasing these essential pieces of work, we invite viewers to reflect on the origins and enduring impact of racial classifications and consider the complex role of art and science in cementing these divisive systems.
Join us in examining how these historical perceptions of race continue to influence society today and engage with the critical questions about the intersections of art, science, and justice.
Introducing
De Espanol y Negra produce Mulato
18th Century | Oil on Canvas Translation: A Spaniard and a Black produce a Mule Definition of Mulato: A mule, someone with a big bum, big lips, and curly hair.
This image features a white male in a Spanish Army uniform worn between 1760 and 1790. They are depicted in a kitchen: a woman grinding chocolate in a mortar, a child offering a cup to the man with a cake. The woman’s attire, resembling that of a maid, is finely embroidered with native-inspired patterns. In the background, there are intricately decorated pottery pieces.
De Negro y Indios se Produce un Lobo
18th Century | Oil on Canvas Translation: A black and Indian make a Wolf.
This painting features a black male dressed in a coachman’s outfit alongside a woman holding a child. The woman’s attire, although with a Western appearance, retains significant cultural ties to her origins. Her top is a huipil, a traditional garment worn by indigenous women from central Mexico, adorned with embroidery and ribbons as depicted. Such attire was reserved for special occasions or individuals of high social status
De Indios y Lobo se produce u grifio que es tente en el aire
18th Century | Oil on Canvas Translation: An Indian and a wolf make something you throw up into the air.
In this painting, the man and woman wear traditional attire, including red/orange Rebozo Shawls dyed with Cochineal or cactus bugs. The child in the image contrasts with the adults by wearing Western clothing. The woman’s decorative jewelry suggests she holds a position of wealth or status.
Indios otomies queue ban a la feria
18th Century | Oil on Canvas Translation: native Indians going to the market.
Indians who adopted Western clothing and Catholicism could work in the main towns. This image shows a poorly dressed family of farmers, possibly going to or coming from the market, with chickens in a cage and eggs in a basket. The child is dressed similarly to the male, and the fabric of the male’s clothing is used for the female and child’s clothing as well.
Indios Barbaros
18th Century | Oil on Canvas Translation: Indian barbarians. Definition of Barbarians: Indians who refused to conform in religion or clothing.
This image shows a family in traditional native dress in a forest, with the father and son holding bows and arrows. As the last in the set, this suggests they were from the lowest documented caste.
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