Folk Art
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.
2010s North American Folk Art
Metal, Wire
1930s British Vintage Folk Art
Pine
1950s North American Vintage Folk Art
Metal
Early 20th Century American Folk Art
Iron, Wrought Iron
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art
Aluminum
Late 19th Century Antique Folk Art
Iron
Mid-19th Century American Antique Folk Art
Pottery
19th Century American Antique Folk Art
Iron
1940s Mexican Vintage Folk Art
Wrought Iron, Sheet Metal
1930s American Vintage Folk Art
Wood
Mid-19th Century American Antique Folk Art
Wood
Mid-19th Century American Antique Folk Art
Cotton
20th Century Folk Art
Tin
19th Century Danish Antique Folk Art
Wood
Early 20th Century French Folk Art
Plaster
1960s French Vintage Folk Art
Canvas, Acrylic
18th Century and Earlier American Antique Folk Art
Canvas
