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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.
- When was tramp art created?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022Tramp art is art made from discarded or ‘found’ wood materials, such as shipping pallets or boxes that products such as cigars or fruit came in. Tramp art is crafted using a method of carving called chip carving. It first began to take off in the late 1800s. Shop an array of antique tramp art from top sellers on 1stDibs.
- What is considered tramp art?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022Tramp art refers to a type of folk art where wood furniture and decorative objects were made from found items. Often, artisans working in the style used shipping crates and cigar boxes as raw materials. They cut the wood apart and created geometric patterns by layering the pieces. Most tramp art dates back to the period between 1870 and the late 1940s. Find a collection of tramp art on 1stDibs.
- Why do they call it tramp art?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022Tramp art is called thusly because artists made it from everyday discarded items, such as pallets, cigar boxes and other sources of found wood. This art form was popularly crafted from 1870 to 1940. Browse a collection of authentic tramp art on 1stDibs.
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