Casta Paintings
The Casta paintings proposed a grand question about latin american identity during the 17th century: Whether or not a Caste of social class existed based upon race.
The controversies of social class and race within the European society had now entered a new dawn where the acceptance of interracial blooded people was now documented and displayed in the homes of the Elite, and in public settings. These paintings achieve to document the history of identity of the people of latin america which show the dynamic evolution of interracial peoples instead of maintaining the static caste system which had previously existed based on race. On the other hand the people portrayed in the paintings are given clear social positioning, “Spanish men are often portrayed as men of leisure or professionals, blacks and mulattos as coachmen, Indians as food vendors, and mestizos as tailors, shoemakers, and tobacconists. Mulattas and mestizas are often represented as cooks, spinners, and seamstresses.” It would be a historical lie if they were depicted in different positions, but it does show the progression towards equality. They make a very positive attempt to idealize domestic life and other social environments and show the peace between race. Returning to the question of identiy, many of the paintings clarify the names of the interracial peoples, “ Spaniards and Indians–mestizos, Spaniards and Blacks–mulattos, and Blacks and Indians–zambos.”
The article states that many owners of the Casta painting were those of the elite class, the high ranking. This furthermore suggests progression when compared to European Classical Art which only depicted the royal upper class and the elite.
Lieutenant Nun
The memoir of Catalina de Erauso can be though of as a story of bravery with regards to feminine equality and direct violence. She was a girl who escaped the repeated cycles of feminine gender roles in spanish society. Not succumbing to mistreatment, she was not afraid to leave a place behind in search for something better. It is surprising however the great luck which crossed her path. She was able to find herself work and shelter without difficulty. Although she herself would not be mistreated, she was certainly not a freedom activist. She contributed to many destructions of native land and people. She appears to have no remorse for the murdering of the Chief and other men. Living the life of a soldier Catalina was certainly a strong woman of her time.