The production of
casta (breed) paintings spans the entire eighteenth century. These works portray the complex process of mestizaje or race mixing among the three major groups that inhabited the colony: Indian, Spanish, and Black. Most of these paintings are comprised of sixteen scenes depicted on separate canvases, although occasionally the scenes are represented on a single, compartmentalized surface. Each scene portrays a man and woman of different races with one or two of their progeny and is accompanied by an inscription that identifies the racial mix depicted. The series follow a specific taxonomic progression: at the beginning are scenes portraying figures of "pure" race (that is, Spaniards), lavishly attired or engaged in occupations that indicate their higher status. As the family groups become more racially mixed, their social status diminishes. In addition to presenting a typology of human races and their occupations, casta paintings also include a rich classificatory system within which objects, food products, flora, and fauna are clearly positioned and labeled.
Here’s a picture of an Indian woman with a Spanish man, their offspring the Mestizo:
Mestizo and Spanish female produced a Castizo:
Castizo and Spanish female produced a Spaniard:
Spanish and Black produced a Mulato:
Mulato and Spanish female produced a Morisco:
Morisco and Spanish female produced a Salto pa’ tras
http://www.tam.itesm.mx/art/colonial/ecolon28.htm