A striking mixed-media sea turtle sculpture by celebrated Ecuadorian artist Miguel Illescas C., from his signature Galápagos series. The piece depicts a hawksbill sea turtle (carey) in dynamic mid-swim pose, body tilted and long front flipper arcing upward with remarkable naturalistic energy. Mounted on a slender copper-toned rod above a polished hardwood base.
Illescas’s signature chromatic technique is on full display: the flippers and neck are rendered in rich burnt orange, red, and gold with a deeply textured craquelure surface mimicking live sea turtle scutes. The carapace contrasts dramatically in iridescent teal, green, and gold. Glass bead eyes add a lifelike intensity. The artist’s signature and date are incised directly into the underside of the carapace — a hallmark of his original works.
Carey is a prominent work within artist's renowned Galapagos series.
Miguel Illescas maintains a gallery on Calle Larga in Cuenca, Ecuador, and his work is collected internationally
Title: Carey (Hawksbill Sea Turtle)
Artist: Miguel Illescas C. (Ecuadorian, b. ~1955)
Year: 2012
Medium: Mixed media — metal, chromatic solutions, hardwood base
Dimensions: 13” wingspan tip-to-tip; 11” overall height on mounted rod stand
Condition: Fine/VF; minor hairline crack on carapace near signature, does not affect structural integrity
Provenance: Signed and dated directly into carapace (“M. Illescas / 2012”); Signed, dated and titled on hardwood base
