"Casta" is Spanish for caste and these "casta paintings" are incredibly frank documents--unparalleled by anything in our time--of the race-based social hierarchy that existed in colonial Latin America ...

In the wake of the colonial period ... By the end of the 18th century, Spanish blood was no longer an exclusive guarantee of superior social standing. Unsurprisingly, elite members of 18th ...

the Colonial Quarter offers visitors a glimpse into the lives of 16th-, 17th- and 18th-century residents. The living museum is divided into four areas: the 16th Century Spanish First City ...