This Brazilian artists says the dolls take a week to make and sell for €1,200 each.
ADVERTISEMENTIn the workshop of Brazilian artisan Ana Paula Guimaraes, several hyper-realistic babies are sitting on the sofa, while others "sleep" in their cots.
They are so-called "reborn babies," an art that consists of creating dolls with such precision of detail that they look like real babies.
Guimaraes, who has always worked as an artisan, has been making them since 2008.
She has already made over a thousand hyper-realistic babies, which take an average of seven days to make.
The dolls sell for up to 7,000 reais (about €1,200) to clients mainly in Brazil, but also from countries such as Portugal, the United States, France and Australia.
How are the ‘reborn babies’ made?
The body is made of fabric, the head and limbs are made of latex rubber and the hair is made of sheepskin and implanted thread by thread.
Various types of paint are used for the eyelashes and nails. Some dolls have slightly marked veins, and even birthmarks.
Customers can choose the colour of the eyes, hair and skin, as well as the shape of the face.
The dolls sell for up to 7,000 reais (about €1,200) to clients mainly in Brazil, but also from countries such as Portugal, the United States, France and Australia.
Why buy a ‘reborn baby’?
Guimaraes’ general clients include collectors, children, parents who wish to ‘eternalise’ their real-life babies, and also people with reproductive problems or those who have suffered natural miscarriages.
"Once a client contacted me because she had been trying to get pregnant for eight years and she asked for a doll. Two months later she became pregnant naturally, after undergoing numerous treatments," explains Guimaraes.
"Strangely enough, the baby I made was identical to the baby that was born."
The Brazilian artist says that she does not only make dolls but also "makes dreams come true."
Watch the video above for a look at these intricately crafted babies.
