Pink and Yellow Wood Iguana Alebrije Sculpture from Mexico, "Pink Iguana"
This fantastical pink and yellow iguana alebrije from Oaxaca artisans Jesus and Roxana Hernandez seems unable to decide on a standard appearance, so it adopts several different facades. The sides look like they're covered in scales, a sky blue spine appears on the back and tail, and the legs have mottled yellow and red skin. Hand carved from copal wood, the iguana's decoration is done by hand.
It is said that Oaxaca's alebrije tradition descends directly from Mexico City papier mache 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.
- 0.14 kgs
- 0.3 lbs
- 6.5 cm H x 23 cm W x 28 cm D
- 2.6" H x 9" W x 11" D
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Customer Reviews
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Brenda
Verified Reviewer
06/22/2022
"Simply beautiful!"





Gorgeous colors, and beautifully intricate design, a little work of art. Thank you!
Purchased Item:
Cat Stretch, Wood Alebrije Figurine Cat in Green from Mexico
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Carol
Verified Reviewer
06/04/2022
"Keepsake"





This is one of my keepsakes - made beautifully.
Purchased Item:
Brilliant Armadillo, Handmade Folk Art Armadillo Alebrije Sculpture
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Patricia
Verified Reviewer
05/04/2022
"Adorable chicken"





Love this cutie.
Best Uses
- display
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Patricia
Verified Reviewer
05/04/2022
"Too large"





Workmanship is great, but the scale is too large to be pretty.
Best Uses
- (Christmas) tree decoration
Purchased Item:
Wings of the Heart, Copal Wood Heart Shaped Ornament from Mexico
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Emily
Verified Reviewer
04/28/2022
"What an adorable kitty!"





This little alebrije sculpture is adorable and just the right touch in my eating area. I particularly love the curved tail, which was carefully packaged separately to avoid breakage. This gato makes me smile every time I see it. Gracias, Jesus y Roxana!
Best Uses
- Looking cute, drawing attention, making me smile
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Robert
Verified Reviewer
02/17/2022
"Nice"





Very nice, but colors are nowhere as vibrant as pictured!
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Jesus and Roxana Hernandez Artisan handcrafted Mexican alebrije sculptures
"We believe that 'nothing ventured, nothing gained.' So we take on the challenge of creating innovative designs, and we experiment with different materials, some more complex than others."
Jesus and Roxana Hernandez come from a Zapotec community in Oaxaca. "In our village, most of the men and women are wood-carvers and we specialize in... read more
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