About the Mexican Alebrijes

First of all , what is an Alebrije?

the Alebrijes are papier mache and wood, colorfull monsters (half one aninal, half another) made by some talented artisans in Mexico.

Basically you can find them in Mexico City, and also in Arrazola,Oaxaca.

I have heard that the original creator of the Alebrijes, was Don Pedro Linares, who lived in Mexico city. He used to work with the "cartonería" (papier mache technique) and was used to make a lot of different figures, like skulls and skeletons for the celebration of the Day of the Death, among other sculptures in papier mache.

But the story tells that it was one day that he got very sick, and had a very high fever, that make him allucinate. In this allucinations the alebrijes were born, as strange collorfull animals, that he later will realize in paper.

And then some talented Oaxacan artisans came to Mexico City, and discover Don Pedro Linare's work, and then made their own version of them, but in "copal" and carved them in wood. The Zapotecs, have had a long tradition in carved wood.

It's said that Mr. Manuel Jimenez, was the first artisans who begin to elaborate them in wood.

The creativity of Mexican Artisans is endless.

Here are some pics!