Skulls and skeletons · Alebrijes

Skeleton with butterfly wings riding an alebrije

Attributed by the family Felipe Linares Vargas

Descriptive title, pending confirmation by the artist

A horned skeleton with monarch-butterfly wings rides a purple-horned creature whose orange skin is speckled with dots. It holds wire reins in both hands and smiles with a full set of teeth, like the skeletons of the cartonería tradition. The wings, painted orange, black and violet, recall the butterfly that reaches Mexico each autumn, around the Day of the Dead.

Context

Animated skeletons are one of the Linares family’s historic specialties, documented by the Fowler Museum (UCLA) in the exhibition and catalogue “En Calavera” (1994). This piece joins that tradition with the alebrije in a single composition. A workshop photograph of the piece before its finish and the fitting of the reins is included.

Object details

Maker

Felipe Linares Vargas

Year

To be confirmed

Materials and technique

Traditional cartonería: modeled paper and cardboard, paste, wire and paint. Technical details to be confirmed with the artist.

Dimensions

To be confirmed

Availability

To be confirmed