Lion-Rhinoceros

Alebrije, Mexican paper-mâché sculpture — Felipe Linares Vargas (grandson of Don Pedro Linares)

This piece constructs its expressive force from a radical contrast between its two halves: a head and mane that unequivocally evoke a lion, and a hind body that transforms into a scaly, corpulent creature like a rhinoceros.

The head is the point of greatest emotional intensity of the sculpture: feline yellow eyes with slitted pupils, one of them squinting, are framed in a face speckled with black dots on a golden background. The slightly open snout reveals white teeth and a red tongue, while the black nose and pink nostrils provide the characteristic realism of fine paper-mâché. The mane, rendered in long carved strands and painted with golden, ocher, and sienna veins, spreads out in all directions like a crown of fire, and also descends under the chin forming a flowing beard that emphasizes the animal's movement and majesty.

The back, just behind the head, bristles with a crest of dorsal spines or scales in magenta and purple tones with metallic highlights, visually marking the transition between the creature's two natures — a feature that evokes both a dragon's crest and a lizard's defensive spines.

The hind body completely abandons the fur to be covered in finely stippled blue and violet scales, reminiscent of both a reptile's skin and the horny shell of a fantastic rhinoceros. The robust hind legs, blue with orange spots, end in firmly planted dark claws, while the skin of the forelimbs continues the golden and striped treatment of the mane, serving as a visual bridge between both halves.

The tail, long and curved in an upward gesture, is painted with striking yellow and black stripes, like a "tiger" or wasp, and culminates in a secondary head with draconian features —with its own mane or crest— which turns the tail into a second character within the same piece, a characteristic feature of the compositional ingenuity of large-format alebrijes.

The ensemble summarizes the essential logic of the alebrije: the impossible and dreamlike hybridization of various creatures —lion, rhinoceros, reptile— resolved with the explosive color and pointillist detail characteristic of Mexican paper-mâché.

PROVENANCE

This piece was made by Felipe Linares Vargas, grandson of Don Pedro Linares —creator of the alebrije as an art form—, continuing the paper-mâché tradition that the Linares family has maintained and developed over three generations in Mexico City.

MEASUREMENTS

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CARE

To preserve the beauty and integrity of this piece, we recommend handling it with care. As it is a paper-mâché artwork, avoid contact with water or humidity —it should never be washed—; clean it only with a soft duster or a dry cloth, without rubbing. Keep it away from direct sunlight and heat sources to prevent pigment discoloration, and store it in a stable, dry, and humidity-free environment. When moving it, always hold it from its base or main body, avoiding pressure on horns, whiskers, claws, or other delicate and protruding elements.

DESIGN

The Linares family's commitment to excellence goes beyond materials; it encompasses the art and artisanal mastery present in every piece we create.