Auction Ends: Aug 29, 2022 10:00 PM MST

Hand-crafted

Oaxaca Lizard Alebrije

Item Number: 101

Estimated Value: 65 USD
Sold: 46 USD to Bluefooted

The winning bid will go to FrontStream Global Fund (tax ID 26-3265577), a 501c3 nonprofit organization, which will send the donation to TUCSON PRESIDIO TRUST FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION (tax ID 860687426) on behalf of the winner.

Number of Bids: 3 - Bid History

Item Description

Bring some color and fantasy into your world by bidding on his brightly colored lizard alebrije which features light blue feet and an orange head with a red and orange body and dark green spots. It measures 7" long and 6" wide.

Made in San Martin Til Cajeta, Oaxaca, Mexico.

Background

Pedro Linares (1906-1992), a renowned indigenous Mexican artist, was inspired to create alebrijes during an illness at the age of 30. During his sickness, he lost consciousness and dreamed of a bizarre, peaceful place that resembled a forest. He recounted seeing giant rocks, tall trees, and an expansive sky. Suddenly, the clouds, rocks, and trees began to transform. The land features around him shaped themselves into animals that were familiar and yet like nothing Linares had ever seen before. There were mules with dragonfly wings, roosters with antlers, creatures that resembled gryphons and dragons, just to name a few. They had unnatural colors and patterns swirling over their bodies. These creatures began repeatedly chanting a single word: alebrije...alebrije...alebrije! Linares became fearful of these strange, powerful creatures chanting this nonsense word and startled awake in time for his fever to subside. After this episode, he first made his artful alebrijes out of paper maché and then used wood.