Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
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.
1920s Austrian Vintage Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Wood
2010s American Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Steel
Late 20th Century American Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Pine, Paint
1790s Austrian Antique Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Wood
20th Century Chinese Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Wood, Pine
1970s Mexican Vintage Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Organic Material
1940s American Vintage Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Wood
Late 20th Century Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Hardwood
1940s American Vintage Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Wood
1950s French Vintage Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Wood
1930s American Vintage Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Wood
15th Century and Earlier Unknown Antique Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Sandstone
Late 20th Century Canadian Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Wood
20th Century Congolese Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Terracotta
18th Century Italian Antique Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Shell, Driftwood, Giltwood, Reclaimed Wood
2010s American Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Steel
Late 19th Century Antique Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Birch
1940s French Vintage Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Plastic, Hardwood, Paint
2010s American Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Metal, Steel
Mid-20th Century Canadian Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Softwood
1950s French Vintage Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Wood
Mid-20th Century French Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Fruitwood
Mid-20th Century Austrian Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Metal
20th Century Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Composition, Metal
1970s American Vintage Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Steel
Mid-20th Century English Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Oak
2010s American Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Metal, Steel
2010s American Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Metal, Steel
Mid-20th Century Canadian Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Soapstone
20th Century Japanese Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Clay
1930s German Vintage Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Wood
1930s German Vintage Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Wood
1930s German Vintage Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Wood
20th Century Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Stone
Early 2000s Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Clay
Mid-20th Century European Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Brass
2010s American Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Metal, Steel
Mid-20th Century Gabonese Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Wood
1960s Vintage Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Clay
1930s British Vintage Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Pine, Paint
Mid-19th Century American Antique Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Metal
Early 20th Century Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Metal
Mid-20th Century Nigerian Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Hardwood
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Berlin Iron
19th Century American Antique Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Iron
1780s French Antique Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Wood
2010s Mexican Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Ceramic, Clay
Early 20th Century Dutch Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Birch, Walnut
18th Century Italian Antique Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Linen, Fruitwood
Mid-20th Century Mexican Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Metal
Mid-20th Century Canadian Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Brass
1860s Antique Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Oak
2010s American Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Metal, Steel
1960s American Vintage Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Wood
1890s British Antique Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Oak
20th Century American Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Wood
1940s Vintage Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Iron
1850s British Antique Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Wood