This sixteen-sided batea preserves an unusually explicit link between New Spanish decorative arts and religious observance. At its centre is the Carmelite coat of arms, surrounded by flowers and gold-coloured ornament on a deep red ground. The inscription above it reads “Para el Sabado de Gloria” (“For Holy Saturday”).

In his study for Las Artes del Galeón de Manila, Adrián Contreras-Guerrero identifies the work as an example of falso maque: painted decoration that imitates the appearance of lacquered Michoacán bateas without employing the same maque technique. He describes its decoration as oil painting and interprets the arms and inscription as evidence of a Carmelite convent origin and a function associated with Holy Saturday services.

The polygonal outline distinguishes it from the more usual circular form. Its floral decoration and gold-coloured motifs against red also connect it with the taste for Asian-inspired ornament explored in the catalogue. The particular convent and workshop have not been securely identified.