oaxacan animal

Working in the fabulous Oaxacan folk art form known as alebrijes, Mexico's Esteban Hernandez creates this unique sculpture. He carves the pegasus from copal wood, which is then carefully painted by hand in minute detail with a rainbow of colors. Removable parts are detached for safe shipping.

The folk art tradition of alebrijes dates back to the 1930's in Mexico City. A man named Pedro Linares was taken ill, and in his fevered dreams he saw a strange land populated with curious creatures--a donkey with wings, a rooster with bull's horns, and a lion with the head of a dog. The beasts all ran at him, shouting "alebrije! alebrije!". Upon his recovery, Linares began recreating the fantastical creatures he had seen in his dream. The art form gained popularity, and alebrijes are now made of wood as well as papier mache.

Mexican artisans Zeny and Reyna create this excellent alebrije sculpture, demonstrating their expertise in the Oaxacan folk art form. The whimsical sculpture is carved from copal wood and painted in lavish detail in a rainbow of colors.

The folk art tradition of alebrijes dates back to the 1930s in Mexico City. A man named Pedro Linares was taken ill, and in his feverish dreams he saw a strange land populated with curious creatures--a donkey with wings, a rooster with bull's horns, and a lion with the head of a dog. The beasts all ran at him, shouting the nonsense word, "alebrije! alebrije!". Upon his recovery, Linares began recreating the fantastical creatures he had seen in his dream in papier mache. The art form gained popularity, and alebrijes are now made of wood as well as papier mache.

This cobalt blue winged horse figure with flame-colored accents shows that Mexican handcrafts are quite adept at taking outside influences and making them their own. It is based on the European myth of Pegasus, but the design shows Japanese influence as well. It hand carved and hand painted by Oaxacan alebrije artist Esteban Hernandez.

This beautiful alebrije figurine is from Gerardo and Teresa Ojeda in Mexico. They carve the sculpture by hand from copal wood, painting it in careful detail. Alebrijes are a traditional Oaxacan folk art, typically crafted from papier mache or wood.