Ferdinand Desnos
Mid-20th Century Folk Art Paintings
Paint
People Also Browsed
20th Century Modern Abstract Paintings
Oil
Late 20th Century Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Paint
Early 20th Century Swedish Art Deco Paintings
Canvas, Paint
Vintage 1960s American Paintings
20th Century Unknown Paintings
Paint
Late 20th Century Mid-Century Modern Paintings
Canvas
20th Century French Paintings
Antique 19th Century Italian Paintings
Paint
1890s Impressionist Paintings
Oil
Antique Early 18th Century French Rococo Paintings
Canvas
Antique 19th Century French Beaux Arts Paintings
Paint, Canvas
Mid-20th Century French Expressionist Paintings
Vintage 1950s Paintings
Paint
Vintage 1960s American American Classical Paintings
Masonite, Paint
20th Century Impressionist Landscape Paintings
Watercolor
20th Century French Paintings
Canvas
A Close Look at folk-art Furniture
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.
Finding the Right paintings for You
When paired with the perfect frame, the right antique and vintage paintings and other wall decorations can either subtly showcase your personality or steal the show altogether.
The earliest paintings were created on the walls of caves, proving even our ancient ancestors knew that striking artwork is meant to be on display. Cave paintings on an Indonesian island are reportedly older than the earliest cave art in Spain and France, and the figurative paintings back then were produced with inorganic pigments like iron oxide.
Later, the people of Ancient Greece — who learned about art from the Egyptians before them — conceived panel paintings of wax and tempera that were collected and publicly displayed. In the centuries that followed, artists would be commissioned to create large-scale wall murals and frescoed ceilings in sprawling European palaces and in the homes of the aristocracy.
Today, 1stDibs makes it easy for you to celebrate this rich history in your own home. Our collection of paintings includes Art Deco paintings, baroque art and a broad range of other categories. Search by material, period or other attributes to find the right fit — browse an array of 19th century landscape paintings in giltwood frames or abstract oil paintings and portraits made during the 1950s and ‘60s.
An understated contemporary work can complement your space’s color palette without drawing the focus away from the other pivotal design choices you’ve made over the years. Roy Lichtenstein’s Pop art, on the other hand, demands attention with its array of vibrant hues and subjects inspired by popular culture.
Whether you aim to create a gallery in your home or build a single, stunning focal point, you can find what you’re looking for in an extensive inventory of paintings on 1stDibs.