Name: Wood alebrije figurine, Shimmering Fish
SKU: 343930

Bestseller

Blue Cat Greeting Mexican Alebrije Cat Sculpture

Zeny and Reyna

(334)

Wearing bright red lipstick, a whimsical blue cat lifts her tail in greeting. Zeny and Reyna transform found pieces of copal wood into a delightful alebrije. These fanciful sculptures are a traditional folk art in Oaxaca, once based on twenty totems but today representing all kinds of animals. They take their name from a Calo gypsy word for "something difficult, tangled, confusing or fantastic."

Because each alebrije is individually created work of folk art, shapes will vary slightly. Small parts are separated for shipping to protect from breakage.

£72.39 Wholesale

£72.39
Bestseller

Surprised Monkey Copal Wood Alebrije Carving of Multicoloured Monkey

Jesus and Roxana Hernandez

(102)

This colourful little monkey cannot believes his eyes! This sculpture is an example of a Oaxacan alebrije, a copal wood carving, hand-painted in bright colours and intricate patterns. This image is the work of Jesus and Roxana Hernandez noted alebrije carvers whose work has won awards and media attention. The tail is removed for shipping.

£62.19 Wholesale

£62.19
Glittering Fish Hand-Painted Wood Alebrije Fish Figurine from Mexico

Pablo and Lucy Mendez

(81)

Glittering with silver tones and vibrant, multicoloured designs, an elabourate fish makes a mystical addition to your home decor with this figurine from Mexico. Pablo and Lucy Mendez, who carry on the tradition of alebrije folk art, work together to create the fish. They carve this figurine of copal wood and paint it by hand.

Alebrijes are a fairly recent Mexican art form, attributed to Pedro Linares. Unconscious due to illness in 1936, he was presumed near death and yet his dreams were extremely vivid. He tells of a place where all was peaceful and quiet until all of a sudden there appeared a lion with an eagle's head, a rooster with bull's horns and a donkey with butterfly wings. They kept screeching "alebrije, alebrije!" and Pedro began running away. He encountered a man who told him it was not yet his time to be there are and he should continue running towards the exit. In this dream Pedro climbed out of a window and regained consciousness.

£54.03 Wholesale

£54.03
Featured Sale

Glorious Quetzalcoatl Copal Wood Quetzalcoatl Serpent Figurine Painted in Orange

Alejandro and Rocio Jimenez

(12)

The Feathered-Serpent deity of ancient Mesoamerican culture, known as Quetzalcoatl, is the protagonist of this exceptional alebrije figurine that pays homage to traditional Mexican folk art in a most exquisite manner. The warm and contrasting hues and intricate motifs that adorn this decorative accent are the inventions of artisans Alejandro and Rocio Jimenez, who also carved this figurine by hand using copal wood, all in a palette of orange and blue hues.

£35.87 Wholesale

~~£44.85~~ £35.87
Bestseller

Monkey in Chaos Wood Monkey Alebrije Figure Hiding His Eyes From Oaxaca

Jesus and Roxana Hernandez

(102)

This poor monkey cannot bear to see the chaos that reigns all around him. This sculpture is an example of a Oaxacan alebrije, a copal wood carving painted in various bright colours and intricate patterns. This monkey is the work of Jesus and Roxana Hernandez noted alebrije carvers whose work has won awards and media attention. The tail is removed for shipping.

£71.37 Wholesale

£71.37
Bestseller

Cute Porcupine in Red Copal Wood Alebrije Porcupine Sculpture in Red and Blue

Zeny and Reyna

(334)

Zeny and Reyna work together to craft this beautiful porcupine alebrije sculpture by hand from copal wood and maguey fibers. They add beautiful hand-painted motifs in red, white and blue for a vibrant addition to any home, reflecting the lively nature of Mexican artisanal traditions.

£36.70 Wholesale

£36.70
Turquoise River Days Handcrafted Turquoise Copal Wood Otter and Fish Figurine

Alejandro and Rocio Jimenez

(12)

After cheerful hours swimming in the river, a cute otter has found the perfect meal to make the day. Crafted by Mexico's Alejandro and Rocio Jimenez, this copal wood figurine comes hand-painted in the traditional alebrije style, all in a palette of turquoise, purple and yellow hues that enhance the vivacious nature of this adorable creature and its little fish, which can be removed from the artwork.

£44.85 Wholesale

£44.85
Bestseller

Mexican Dragon in Red Copal Wood Dragon Alebrije Sculpture in Red and Orange

Zeny and Reyna

(334)

A fire-breathing dragon in colors of orange and red spreads its wings in this Mexican sculpture, making a charming addition to any home. Mexican couple Zeny and Reyna celebrate the artistic traditions of their country, crafting the dragon from copal wood and maguey plant fibers in the style of alebrije sculptures, adding beautiful hand-painted motifs. Small parts are separated for shipping to protect from breakage.

£105.01 Wholesale

£105.01
Oneiric Flight Handcrafted Alebrije Steel Wall Art of Winged Fish

Alejandro de Esesarte

(323)

"Alebrije! Alebrije!" shouted Pedro Linares after a feverish dream he had in 1930. From that day, Mexico City experienced an artistic movement full of fascinating creatures. Named after Pedro's words, this art style is present in many designs, like this steel wall sculpture by Alejandro de Esesarte.

"I was drawing an alebrije-like figure, when a little girl came to see what I was doing and joyfully shouted, 'alegrijes!' She misspelled 'alebrijes,' and we all laughed," he recalls.

"Later in the day, it hit me — the little girl didn't make a mistake. Because by changing a single letter, she gave me the new name for my line of alebrijes. They will be called alegrijes.

The artisan uses a cool colour scheme to bring a mesmerizing creature to life — a winged fish with bird features.

£54.03 Wholesale

£54.03
Bestseller

Blue Good Luck Cricket Wood Alebrije Cricket Sculpture in Blue from Mexico

Pablo and Lucy Mendez

(81)

Drawing inspiration from everything that surrounds them, Mexican duo Pablo and Lucy Mendez work together to carry on the style of traditional alebrije sculptures. They give good luck wishes with this charming cricket, handcrafted of copal wood with various intricate parts that assemble together. The cricket is finished with a hand-painted design in tones of blue and purple. Small parts are separated for shipping to protect from breakage.

£44.85 Wholesale

£44.85
Excited Cat in Teal Copal Wood Alebrije Cat Sculpture in Teal from Mexico

Zeny and Reyna

(334)

A playful, excited cat makes a vibrant and fun addition to any home, handcrafted from copal wood and maguey plant fibers in the style of traditional alebrijes. Mexican couple Zeny and Reyna proudly paint this sculpture by hand, drawing inspiration from their cultural roots to cover the cat in bright floral motifs against a teal body. Small parts are separated for shipping to protect from breakage.

£34.66 Wholesale

£34.66
Zapotec Fish 12-inch Hand Carved and Painted Alebrije Fish Sculpture

Manuel Cruz

(12)

A rotund fish with big eyes swims sinuously in cool rivers. Colorful motifs from Zapotec art and ancient temples cover the body and fins. By Manuel Cruz, this is a beautiful example of Mexico's alebrije art. The image is carved by hand of copal wood in the style of Oaxaca and meticulously painted by hand with tiny brushes. The finer details are created using a maguey thorn instead of a brush.

The alebrije tradition originated with Mexico City artisan Pedro Linares (1906-1992). When he was 30, he became ill and fell into a coma. While he was unconscious, he dreamed he was caught between the land of the living and the dead, a place populated with creatures whose body parts belonged to different animals. The beings repeatedly cried, "Alebrije!" When he was well, Linares recreated these fanciful figures in papier mache. His work became famous and inspired artisans in the state of Oaxaca, who began crafting alebrijes of wood.

The wood branch dictates the final form, thus size and shapes can vary slightly. Thus, each alebrije is an authentic work of Mexican folk art.

£420.09 Wholesale

£420.09

Featured Reviews

Wood sculpture, 'Excited Cat in Teal'

Mona

May 18, 2021

Excited Cat in Teal

Puuurfect kitty!!! This wood sculpture cat in Teal is adorable!!! Such a whimsical, cute addition to my collection!! I already have several pieces by Zeny and Reyna. So well made!!! I love the beautiful bright colors and designs on this piece!!! As pictured.

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Wood alebrije sculpture, 'Blue Good Luck Cricket'

Carol

Jul 1, 2022

Colors are Vibrant

Am glad I ordered the blue cricket for my collection. The colors are so beautiful it make it “stand out” among all. Thank you Pablo & Lucy.

Cultural Sculpture

Wood alebrije figurine, 'Shimmering Fish'

Robin

Oct 23, 2022

Fish out of water!

This smiling fish is absolutely adorable. It is small, so keep that in mind. i just love looking at her (of course she's a female!) She has a companion, the Grey Fish (a man-fish), also from Novica. My husband is a Pisces, too, so it fits into my whimsical design. Beautiful!

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Featured Reviews