Bright Hand Painted Quetzalcoatl Alebrije Sculpture, "Colorful Quetzalcoatl"

This delightful papier mache alebrije sculpture is crafted by Marina Lozano in Mexico. The artisan creates her version of a quetzalcoatl, which was a feathered serpent deity in ancient Mesoamerica. The creature is painted by hand in bright colors and varied patterns.

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 shouted "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.