#8 • Alebrijes Hand-Painted Wood figurines

Part of Thorntons Select 24.11.25 MO132934 (live auction by Thornton Auctions)

High bid $75.00

Status: Sold

Category: Collectables

From Alebrijes, Mexico. Wood animal figurines and tiger mask hand painted in vibrant colours. The alebrijes (pronounced alibreehays) are from the southern state of Oaxaca. They are derived from a tradition started 60 years ago when peasants carved wood from the copal tree into animal, bird and insect forms, then painted them in a fantastical style to give to family members as presents. While these examples are relatively simple, the craft today has developed into a fine art form, with some pieces fetching thousands of dollars. Since the majority of inhabitants in Guatemala are descendant from the Mayan culture, this is reflected in their craft work. Their pottery is mostly fired at low temperature so is not suitable for placing where it is exposed to the elements. #624