Multicolored Wood Snail Alebrije Figurine from Mexico, "Rainbow Snail"
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Husband and wife duo Zeny and Reyna from Oaxaca grew up with the tradition of carving alebrijes (fantastical figurines of real and imagined animals); both of their parents were master carvers in that region's traditional folk art. Here they create a wonderfully colorful snail in great detail. The snail is carved by hand from copal wood and painted in a wide array of meticulous patterns.
Small parts are separated for shipping to protect from breakage.It is said that Oaxaca's alebrije tradition descends directly from Mexico City artisan Pedro Linares (1906-1992). When he was 30, he became seriously ill and fell into a sort of coma. While he was unconscious, he had a most fantastic dream. He was caught between the land of the living and the dead; the place looked like a forest and was populated with creatures with body parts belonging to different animals. The beings repeatedly uttered the word alebrije, and when Linares woke up, he recreated these figures in vivid colors using papier mache techniques and called them alebrijes . His work became famous and eventually influenced artisans in the state of Oaxaca who decided to craft alebrijes using traditional wood carving methods and according to that region's world vision.
- 0.12 kgs
- 0.3 lbs
- 9.8 cm H x 15.5 cm W x 9 cm D
- 3.9" H x 6" W x 3.5" D
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- Free Gift Wrap? Yes
- Premium Gift Wrap? Yes
Customer Reviews
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Pat
Verified Reviewer
10/11/2021
"Beautiful"
Well-made and vibrant
Best Uses
- Decor
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Therese
Verified Reviewer
05/06/2021
"Splendid!"
This snail is so lovely in person. The colors are rich and alive!
Best Uses
- Enjoyment
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Nanette
Verified Reviewer
04/23/2021
"Cute but too large"
Love the detail, just a lot larger than I expected, kind of out of proportion.
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Raymond
Verified Reviewer
09/23/2018
"display item"
very well done
Best Uses
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Judy
Verified Reviewer
06/18/2018
"Wow! The Rainbow Snail is amazing!"
Thank you Zeny and Reyna for another spectacular piece! The details are amazing. I will eventually use this with children as a visual to go with the book Snail Girl (a Navajo story). It has been so much fun to add to my Oaxacan alebrije collection with treasures from Novica.
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Kathy
Verified Reviewer
01/12/2024
"love alebrije!"
adorable little dragon with excellent, beautifully executed painting
Purchased Item:
Dramatic Dragon, Fuchsia Alebrije Dragon with Multicolor Hand Painted Motifs
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Deb
Verified Reviewer
11/05/2023
"Tiny little gem!"
This tiny little guy is so cute I felt he needed a buddy, so I ordered another in a different color! Such amazing detail work - thank-you!
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Shelley
Verified Reviewer
09/07/2023
"Talented red cat with ball."
This red cat shares her joy at playing with her ball. She is a lot of fun. Thanks!
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Shelley
Verified Reviewer
09/07/2023
"Happy cat loves sitting on my shelf and making me feel cheerful."
This pink spotted cat is a relaxed and wonderful addition to my cat collection.
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Judy
Verified Reviewer
07/19/2023
"Wow! Such amazing detials!"
I knew as soon as I saw this treasure I had to buy it! -- Painted with the wisdom of turtles (just one symbolism for turtles). Now they also have available a blue bull with fish! So tempting! The painting details and carving of the bull are just incredible. Perfection! I am always in awe when I receive these pieces from Zeny and Reyna. So happy to see that more of their artworks are available here on Novica.
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Marc
Verified Reviewer
04/29/2023
"Excellent Quality & Fair Price"
The piece I received was modestly different than the picture on the Novica. This is to be expected since each piece is cfrafted individually. Fine workmanship. I would definitely buy from these artists again.
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Your Purchase Makes a Difference!
"When she told us this we felt a great sense of satisfaction, we had no idea how much we could help someone – a child – through our art."
"Hola! We're Zeny Fuentes and Reyna Piña. We're from a small town in Oaxaca," says Zeny by way of introduction. "We both come from... read more