Handcrafted Copal Wood Alebrije Turtle Figurine, "Turtle Friend"

This charming multicolored turtle figurine from Mexico will be a cheerful addition to your home decor. Artisans Jesus and Roxana Hernandez handcraft the turtle from copal wood, painting it with the detailed motifs that are distinctive to alebrije artwork.

The alebrije tradition started with Mexico City papier mache artisan Pedro Linares (1906-1992). When he was 30, he fell into a coma due to serious illness. While he was unconscious, he dreamed 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. Upon recovering, Linares recreated these figures in bright colors using papier mache techniques and called them alebrijes. His work became famous and was one of the main influences of artisans in the state of Oaxaca who began crafting alebrijes of their own using traditional wood carving methods.