Small Meditating Cat Alebrije Sculpture from Mexico, "Cat Meditating"
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To craft this unique small sculpture of a cat meditating in the lotus position, Teresita Gonzales in Mexico first carves the piece by hand from copal wood and allows it to cure for 1-2 months. The figurine is then painted by hand in the style of traditional Oaxacan alebrije folk art sculptures. Colorful mandalas are painted on the front and back of the black cat, while myriad patterns in blue, green, orange and purple adorn the rest of the cat's body and tail. Small parts are separated for shipping to protect from breakage.
The folk art tradition of alebrijes dates back to the 1930's in Mexico City. A man named Pedro Linares was taken ill, and in his fevered dreams he saw a strange land populated with curious creatures--a donkey with wings, a rooster with bull's horns, and a lion with the head of a dog. The beasts all ran at him, shouting "alebrije! alebrije!". Upon his recovery, Linares began recreating the fantastical creatures he had seen in his dream. The art form gained popularity, and alebrijes are now made of wood as well as papier mache.
- 50 grams
- 0.1 lbs
- 11 cm H x 5 cm W x 10 cm D
- 4.3" H x 2" W x 3.9" D
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"...the doctor diagnosed me with cancerous sarcoma... but I'd look at my son and I knew my work in life wasn't finished. I began painting as a form of therapy."
Latest Update"My journey in Mexican handicrafts began when I started working with copal wood as a way of therapy to relieve my cancer. I... read more