New Spain was part of a monarchy that extended over sea and land. It served as a connection among the Iberian Peninsula and the Philippines, the commercial goods arrived from Spain to Veracruz, from where they followed a land route to Acapulco, to embark towards East. The ships of the Manila Galleon made the return trip loaded with luxurious products, destined to be sold in the New Spain or to be sent to the Spanish ports. From the Philippines arrived, among other products, silk, wind screens, porcelain, and ivory sculptures, which were well-appreciated because of their beauty and whiteness.
There was also a well-endowed commerce among the American viceroyalties, importing paintings, sculptures, and other products, some of them of great quality, such as the Guatemalan sculpture from the 18th century, which was well-received among the viceregal society.
Some pieces were transported for reasons of identity or devotion. Mobility and distance among families enhanced the practice of exchanging gifts by sea, which allowed fashion, traditions, and even devotions to have presence on both sides of the ocean. New Spain never stopped receiving the influence of foreign objects, which were sometimes the model for local craftsmen.
