#8 Jaguar Mask Alebrije Detailed Hand Painted Hand Carved Oaxaca Mexico Folk Art

Description

I just received a shipment from
San Martín Tilcajete
Oaxaca with 10 of these wonderful
Alebrije Jaguar Masks.
They are Very detail and all hand painted and Hand Carved by
Carlos Mendez Jimenez
.  Check my Ebay store to see the other 9 masks.   I have been purchasing his work for over 7 years,
but do not get shipments from him often...
It measures approx.  4 1/2 inches tall by 4 inches wide and 3 1/2 inches deep.
"The Alebrijes come from a Oaxacan population called San Martin Tilcajete, whose habitants are engaged in family workshops to carving
in wood and hand-paint these surrealist and fantastic figures .
The Alebrijes have a specific history. They were invented in 1936 by a cardboard man named Pedro Linares López, at 30 years of age.
His inspiration came after getting sick and falling into a deep sleep, where he saw these creatures for the first time.
During his illness, it is said that Pedro dreamed of a forest full of trees, rocks and animals, being very peaceful. Suddenly, those elements
began to transform into strange creatures, like donkeys with wings, roosters with bull horns, lions with dog heads, and so on. And all those
fantastic animals shouted a word in unison and every time stronger: alebrijes.
Upon awakening, Linares López decided to give life to the visions he had and created the first cardboard alebrijes."
This piece is
signed by the artist on the reverse side.
This fierce guy would make a great addition to your
Mexican Folk Art Collection, or a lovely gift for a friend..
Please check out my Ebay Shop for more wonderful pieces of  Mexican Folk Art, hand made clothing and Jewelry.
VIVA MEXICO!!!