Oaxaca Lizard Alebrije


Item Number: 101

Time Left: CLOSED

Value: $65

Online Close: Aug 29, 2022 10:00 PM MST

Bid History: 3 bids - Item Sold!



Description

Bring some color and fantasy into your world by bidding on his brightly colored lizard alebrije which features light blue feet and an orange head with a red and orange body and dark green spots. It measures 7" long and 6" wide.


Made in San Martin Til Cajeta, Oaxaca, Mexico. 


Background


Pedro Linares (1906-1992), a renowned indigenous Mexican artist, was inspired to create alebrijes during an illness at the age of 30. During his sickness, he lost consciousness and dreamed of a bizarre, peaceful place that resembled a forest. He recounted seeing giant rocks, tall trees, and an expansive sky. Suddenly, the clouds, rocks, and trees began to transform. The land features around him shaped themselves into animals that were familiar and yet like nothing Linares had ever seen before. There were mules with dragonfly wings, roosters with antlers, creatures that resembled gryphons and dragons, just to name a few. They had unnatural colors and patterns swirling over their bodies. These creatures began repeatedly chanting a single word: alebrije...alebrije...alebrije! Linares became fearful of these strange, powerful creatures chanting this nonsense word and startled awake in time for his fever to subside. After this episode, he first made his artful alebrijes out of paper maché and then used wood. 

Donated by

John Bird