Alebrijes

Americas tradition · 5 examples · indicative market tier: Under $500 (entry level & living craft)

Alebrijes (Spanish pronunciation: [aleˈβɾixes]) are brightly colored Mexican folk art sculptures of fantastical (fantasy/mythical) creatures, traditionally made from papier-mâché or wood. The art form originated in Mexico City in the 1930s, when Pedro Linares, a papier-mâché artist, began creating surreal, dreamlike creatures after experiencing vivid hallucinations during an illness. His designs, which combined elements of various animals, became widely recognized as alebrijes and were later adopted by artisans in Oaxaca, who began carving them from copal wood, a local softwood. Wikipedia →

Types & examples

Where to buy

Each link opens a live, image-rich search for this craft on that marketplace. Listings rotate constantly; authenticate significant pieces independently — attribution quality varies widely outside museum collections.