Spain had lost an immense amount of territory in the 17th and 18th centuries and was determined to keep control over the territory that they still possessed so they could rebuild their power. Using the ideologies of Enlightenment Despotism, they sought to strongly integrate Spanish customs of how the citizens of the colonies should operate through influence of art. Since the people of New Spain were of various ethnicities and races, they were not used to the social normalities of Spain. Spain wanted to control how the citizens functioned in society and wanted them to present themselves in a more Roman style, like the Spaniards themselves. If Spain was able to have the people of the colonies obey the rules and continue respecting the king, they would be able to maintain control so they could potentially expand their territory later on.
Modernizing New Spain (Mexico City) was essential in order for Spain to have any further influence on the colonies. Monarchs had tried to modernize the empire in ways that strengthened royal power and kept tighter control over the colonies. Modernization during the Hispanic Enlightenment focused on reshaping society according to the Enlightenment ideals. Promoting education, neoclassical art, and their social standards was to reinforce Spanish authority and shape the colonies into a more orderly and obedient society. The plan was to keep citizens reliant on Spain and look to the king for direction and order. If they continued to depend on Spain, then Spain had power and their tactics were successful. If there was any sign of curiosity to challenge Spanish rule, they would quickly step in and make a change. Spain made various modifications to their methods including new administrative systems that were pushed during the Bourbon Reforms to help centralize power and reduce the influence of citizens who might challenge the monarchy. Modernization was a way to improve the colonies and keep them focused on Spanish power with discipline and organization.
For this exhibit, artworks are presented that showed some of the strategic tactics that Spain used to promote their goals of modernizing their colonies and ensuring that they remained on top of the social hierarchy.
Artist: Andrés López
Title: Portrait of Don Matías de Galvez y Gallardo as
Vice Protector of the Academy of San Carlos
Time period: 1790-1791, New Spain
Materials: Oil on canvas
This painting by Andrés López displays Don Matías de Galvez y Gallardo in the Royal Academy of San Carlos who contributed to overseeing the process that the academy offered in order to make the citizens of New Spain more modernized to the Spanish standard. The goal was to teach the students how to be functioning, educated members of society while also producing neoclassical styles of art. The art created was mostly sculptures that were reproduced leaving little room for creativity from the students themselves. A sculpture can be seen in the background of this piece representing the type of sculpture creations that were mostly created. Don Matías de Galvez y Gallardo, Viceroy of New Spain (Mexico City), is predicted in a powerful way by being the center of attention while also standing straight and tall with a serious look on his face. The Spaniards took the education of the colonial citizens very seriously as it was a way for them to maintain control. Below Don Matías de Galvez y Gallardo’s hand, he is gesturing down to young students of the Royal Academy. These students are shown in ragged clothing coming from poor conditions. This describes how the academy was taking in those who could not afford education in order to be presentable to society according to the Spanish ideals. In the background it shows how these students evolved and were taught how to present themselves and their artwork. It is emphasized that this is something that all people from the colonies should strive for; organized, presentable, functional members of society. It was a tactic widely used throughout New Spain in order for Spain to keep their control over the colonies by setting the social standard of how they should look and act.
López, A. (1790-1791). Portrait of Don Matías de Galvez y Gallardo as Vice Protector of the Academy of San Carlos. Retrieved December 3, 2025, from https://smarthistory.org/the-academy-of-san-carlos/
Title: The Royal Academy of San Carlos
Founded by: Jerónimo Antonio Gil in 1785
Location: New Spain
Antonio Gil, J. (1785). Royal Academy of San Carlos . https://smarthistory.org/the-academy-of-san-carlos/
The Royal Academy of San Carlos was originally founded by Jerónimo Antonio Gil in 1785 with the royal support of King Charles III. The establishment required Spanish support as there were multiple requests to add an academy for the colonies for education by a group in Mexico City who sent petitions to the king. Since they were not of Spanish descent, they were not taken seriously. It was not until a Spaniard decided an academy was desired that the king approved the construction of it. The student body consisted mostly of indigenous people, but had welcomed everyone to learn. The makeup of the academy was important to give the youth structure as they grow into adults. The students were also taught mathematics and architecture extensively as these were known to be useful and necessary to be functioning citizens of society. There was major emphasis on classism with the neoclassical, Roman & Greek style. These styles were promoted heavily to give examples of how the students should strive to achieve in their own art. Creating neoclassical art, mostly sculptures, was used to expand the Spanish style that was inspired by the Romans but also because the growth of more unique types of art were being created and Spain wanted to replace, or drown out, those artworks in order to maintain control. Having more of the neoclassical art would help visualize the influence and power of Spain while also pushing Enlightenment ideals. The social hierarchies were also enforced by hiring only Spanish/European teachers and workers. The academy was modernizing the colonial society by bringing them to the future, pulling them out of their old, ripped clothes into a clean and tidy style. As they grew up, the students were taught how they should act and be presented which expanded the influence of Spain’s ideologies and helped modernize the people of the colonies to Spanish standards.
Artist: Miguel Cabrera
Title: From Spaniard and Morisca, Albino Girl
Time Period: 1763, New Spain
Materials: Oil on canvas
Cabrera, M. (1763). From Spaniard and Morisca, Albino Girl . https://smarthistory.org/cabrera-casta-painting/
This casta painting by Miguel Cabrera depicts a Spanish husband and a morisca wife with their albino child. What makes this piece stand out particularly is the uniqueness of the albino child. Albinism was seen as monstrous and to be avoided. There was the theory that suggested that albino children were only born from people who were dark skinned, especially African Americans. Casta paintings, which usually included a scene that would look down on other races who were not of Spanish descent, were widely used to discourage mixed race marriages. Spain began to produce these as the colonies were becoming too comfortable with normalizing mixed marriages. This interrupted Spain’s ideal social hierarchy which had peninsulares and creoles at the top and other races, mixed or not, below. If the colonies were able to get away with creating their own social hierarchy, Spain knew that they would try to gain independence in other areas eventually leading to fighting for full independence from Spain completely. Spain could not afford to lose more territory, so the hope was that promoting casta paintings would deter the citizens away from going against the modernization process that the Spaniards implemented. Social stress was put on the colonies as they would be looked down on if they participated in mixed marriages. Being considered a modernized, good citizen also included being married to a partner of similar social hierarchy.
Video – https://youtube.com/shorts/VQrAnaEdFhc?feature=share
Artist: Pompeo Batoni
Title: Portrait of a Young Man
Time Period: 1760 – 1765, Rome
Materials: Oil on canvas
Batoni, P. (1760-1765). Portrait of a Young Man. https://www.metmuseum.org/essays/neoclassicism