In the region of Michoacán, in west-central Mexico, inlaid lacquered objects belonged to an ancient and refined tradition. When the Spaniards arrived in the 1500s, Indigenous artists adapted the technique to new types of artifacts. The inflow of Asian objects and the European craze for lacquer (chinoiserie and japanning) inspired local artists to create their own versions, garnering fervent admiration.

This large batea (tray), attributed to the celebrated Indigenous artist José Manuel de la Cerda, includes a central medallion with the Greek myth of Arachne and Athena, surrounded by regional costumbrista (daily life) vignettes. Eloquently described by an eighteenth-century author as a “diphthong” (in reference to combinations of vowels that produce a new sound), the batea’s integration of various materials and patterns exemplifies the creative reinvention of lacquered luxury goods in New Spain.