Multicolored Wood Snail Alebrije Figurine from Mexico, "Rainbow Snail"
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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Customer Reviews
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Pat
Verified Reviewer
10/11/2021
"Beautiful"
Well-made and vibrant
Best Uses
- Decor
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Rainbow Snail, Multicolored Wood Snail Alebrije Figurine from Mexico
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Therese
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05/06/2021
"Splendid!"
This snail is so lovely in person. The colors are rich and alive!
Best Uses
- Enjoyment
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Rainbow Snail, Multicolored Wood Snail Alebrije Figurine from Mexico
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Nanette
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04/23/2021
"Cute but too large"
Love the detail, just a lot larger than I expected, kind of out of proportion.
Purchased Item:
Rainbow Snail, Multicolored Wood Snail Alebrije Figurine from Mexico
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Raymond
Verified Reviewer
09/23/2018
"display item"
very well done
Best Uses
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Rainbow Snail, Multicolored Wood Snail Alebrije Figurine from Mexico
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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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Rainbow Snail, Multicolored Wood Snail Alebrije Figurine from Mexico
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Molly
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08/15/2022
"Love it!"
Super Cute and well made. Love it!
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Chuck
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08/11/2022
"Beautiful Artwork"
Bright vibrant colors, easy to assemble. Hangs in the kitchen window and brightens our every day!
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Gift Occasion:
- This was a gift for: Wife
- Occasion: Christmas

Nick
Verified Reviewer
07/22/2022
"Genuinely delightful"
An absolute hit as a present! This little porcupine is beautifully made and decorated and quite charming.
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Kathy
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07/11/2022
"Nocturnal cat"
Beautiful colors
Best Uses
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Christine
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07/09/2022
"Beautiful"
Wonderful creations that are very delicate
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Mike
Verified Reviewer
07/01/2022
"Brightens the room"
Beautiful carving !!!
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"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 families dedicated... read more