Folk Art Busts
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.
20th Century Thai Folk Art Busts
Soapstone
Late 20th Century American Folk Art Busts
Clay
1960s Vintage Folk Art Busts
Clay
1960s Vintage Folk Art Busts
Clay
1990s American Folk Art Busts
Polystyrene, Paper, Paint
1930s French Vintage Folk Art Busts
Paper
20th Century Folk Art Busts
Birch
20th Century Folk Art Busts
Pottery
2010s English Folk Art Busts
Wood
1910s British Vintage Folk Art Busts
Boxwood
1980s American Vintage Folk Art Busts
Wood
Early 20th Century African Folk Art Busts
Mahogany
Early 1900s Italian Antique Folk Art Busts
Bronze
Mid-20th Century Hong Kong Folk Art Busts
Plastic, Plaster
21st Century and Contemporary American Folk Art Busts
Ceramic
19th Century Italian Antique Folk Art Busts
Carrara Marble
Early 20th Century French Folk Art Busts
Bronze
Mid-19th Century Chinese Antique Folk Art Busts
Wood
19th Century French Antique Folk Art Busts
Clay, Terracotta
1980s Vintage Folk Art Busts
Wood
1970s Mexican Vintage Folk Art Busts
Paper
19th Century French Antique Folk Art Busts
Carrara Marble
Mid-20th Century European Folk Art Busts
Wood
Early 20th Century Italian Folk Art Busts
Marble
Mid-20th Century Unknown Folk Art Busts
Brass
19th Century Cambodian Antique Folk Art Busts
Sandstone
20th Century Italian Folk Art Busts
Terracotta
1950s Mexican Vintage Folk Art Busts
Metal
1930s American Vintage Folk Art Busts
Latex, Rubber
20th Century Folk Art Busts
Plaster
1960s American Vintage Folk Art Busts
Ceramic, Paint
20th Century French Folk Art Busts
Paper
1870s American Antique Folk Art Busts
Wood, Paint
1890s American Antique Folk Art Busts
Pine, Paint
Mid-20th Century Balinese Folk Art Busts
Hardwood
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Busts
Stoneware
1980s American Vintage Folk Art Busts
Wood
15th Century and Earlier Pakistani Antique Folk Art Busts
Stone
1920s German Vintage Folk Art Busts
Wood