Folk Art Paintings
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.
Late 20th Century Ghanaian Folk Art Paintings
Canvas
1950s American Vintage Folk Art Paintings
Wood
Mid-18th Century Scandinavian Antique Folk Art Paintings
Wood
1950s American Vintage Folk Art Paintings
Wood
1850s Peruvian Antique Folk Art Paintings
Paint
1950s American Vintage Folk Art Paintings
Wood
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Paintings
Wood
1960s American Vintage Folk Art Paintings
Aluminum
Mid-19th Century American Antique Folk Art Paintings
Felt
1960s American Vintage Folk Art Paintings
Clay, Wood, Acrylic
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Paintings
Canvas
Late 18th Century German Antique Folk Art Paintings
Paper
19th Century American Antique Folk Art Paintings
1820s American Antique Folk Art Paintings
Canvas
20th Century American Folk Art Paintings
Wood
1930s French Vintage Folk Art Paintings
Paper, Watercolor
1940s American Vintage Folk Art Paintings
Canvas, Paint
19th Century Mexican Antique Folk Art Paintings
Wood, Paint
19th Century Mexican Antique Folk Art Paintings
Metal, Tin
19th Century English Antique Folk Art Paintings
Paint
1960s Israeli Vintage Folk Art Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
1940s American Vintage Folk Art Paintings
Wood, Paint
1960s French Vintage Folk Art Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
18th Century and Earlier American Antique Folk Art Paintings
Canvas