Folk Art Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Folk art is a genre of art that shares the creator’s traditions, offering not just an artistic display but an opportunity to learn about a culture. Antique, new and vintage folk art typically reflects a heritage or location. It can include utilitarian objects and handmade art as diverse as weather vanes, duck decoys, portraiture and paintings, carnival art and quilts.
Quilts are a quintessential part of American folk art but their roots are international, with quilting dating back to Ancient Egypt. The practice spread to Europe and was especially prominent in the Middle Ages, with one of the oldest surviving examples being the Tristan quilt made in Sicily in the 14th century. They were made as bedcovers and clothing, including as a layer for knights to wear beneath their armor. Native American folk art includes functional objects reflecting their heritage, such as baskets, textiles and wooden pieces.
Elsewhere, the vast range of work associated with Mexican folk art includes masks made by Mexican craftspeople for traditional celebrations and ceremonial dances. Mexican masks are part of the country’s folk-art traditions that go back thousands of years and play a role in festivals and theater.
Works in the folk art tradition are valuable because of the skills involved, like weaving, hand-carving wood and even stonework. Many folk artists are self-taught, while some train as apprentices within their community. By using available materials and taking a personal approach to their creations, artists ensure each piece is unique and conveys a story.
During the Great Depression, artistic materials in America were hard to come by, so artisans used discarded wood from cigar boxes and shipping crates to make highly stylized, notched pieces — most often picture frames and boxes — that are today sought after by collectors. This folk art style is called tramp art and was popular from roughly 1870 until the 1940s.
Folk art brings vibrant culture and traditions into your home. Browse an extensive collection of antique, new and vintage folk art on 1stDibs.
Early 19th Century Hungarian Antique Folk Art Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Pine, Paint
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Pine, Paint
Early 1900s Italian Antique Folk Art Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Fir, Wood
1850s Italian Antique Folk Art Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood, Fir
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Pine
Mid-19th Century North American Antique Folk Art Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood, Cherry
Mid-19th Century Hungarian Antique Folk Art Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Pine, Paint
Late 19th Century Antique Folk Art Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Pine
Late 19th Century British Antique Folk Art Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Mirror, Pine, Paint
Mid-19th Century American Antique Folk Art Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Metal
1970s English Vintage Folk Art Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
Early 19th Century French Antique Folk Art Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
Late 19th Century American Antique Folk Art Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Pine
1950s American Vintage Folk Art Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
Late 19th Century French Antique Folk Art Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Swiss Folk Art Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Chrome, Steel
1940s Italian Vintage Folk Art Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
Mid-19th Century North American Antique Folk Art Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
Mid-19th Century American Antique Folk Art Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Pine
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
1970s Danish Vintage Folk Art Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Rosewood
Mid-19th Century Scottish Antique Folk Art Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Pine
1830s French Antique Folk Art Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Pine, Paint
1970s Swedish Vintage Folk Art Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Pine
19th Century French Antique Folk Art Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
Late 19th Century Hungarian Antique Folk Art Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
Early 20th Century Hungarian Folk Art Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
19th Century Austrian Antique Folk Art Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood, Paint
1850s Swedish Antique Folk Art Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Pine
1820s Swedish Antique Folk Art Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
1810s Swedish Antique Folk Art Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Pine
Early 19th Century Hungarian Antique Folk Art Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Pine
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood, Paint
19th Century Antique Folk Art Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
Early 20th Century European Folk Art Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood, Paint
1970s American Vintage Folk Art Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut