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Folk Art Paintings

FOLK ART STYLE

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.

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Style: Folk Art
Hand Painted Haitian Game Board
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Vintage Haitian game board crafted in wood and hand painted with parrots, ballet dancers, and the tree of life in a rustic naive style and signed by the artist J Michel.
Category

20th Century Haitian Folk Art Paintings

Materials

Paint

Rare Late 19th Century Oil Well Derrick Painting
Located in North Palm Beach, FL
Presenting a captivating and historically significant folk art painting from the late 19th century: an oil rig scene believed to date circa 1892. This remarkable artwork, executed in oil on board, offers a rare glimpse into the early depictions of the burgeoning oil industry...
Category

1890s American Antique Folk Art Paintings

Materials

Wood

Vintage Large Balinese Painting on Silk from Ubud Bali
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Mid-20th century Balinese painting on silk fabric, framed. Vintage large Balinese art painting, from Ubud, Bali acrylic on silk. Beautiful artwork by the Indonesian artist from Ubud. Painted in Peliatan, Ubud Bali by W. Kurpelir as signed on the bottom left hand corner. Balinese Folk Festival ceremonial procession, Ink and acrylic paint on canvas. Batuan painting evolved in the 1930s after a group of local villagers tested different forms with ink-washed paintings upon black backgrounds. These paintings often reveal Batuan’s cultural life, directly through their elements of line, shape, and tone. Meticulous design, craftsmanship, and strong visual impression are characteristic of the style. The painting comprise individual shapes which are painted in a precise and systematic manner that does not leave any empty space. The complexity of the paintings is inevitable as each of the strokes, lines, gradations, the characters or the subjects forms a delicate unity that finely balances the figure-filled canvas. Various gradations of colors separate different sections of the painting. The landscape is enticing and endless. About Bali Art...
Category

Mid-20th Century Balinese Folk Art Paintings

Materials

Silk

Bali Hindu Textile Framed 'Kamasan' Painting, Indonesia C. 1900
Located in Jimbaran, Bali
This Antique Balinese Kamasan painting, rendered on handwoven cotton, beautifully captures the timeless elegance of classical Wayang-style storytellin...
Category

Early 1900s Balinese Antique Folk Art Paintings

Materials

Cotton, Paint

Sarah Rishel Art Print Intaglio Etching "Applique Quilt", 13/200
Located in Clifton Springs, NY
Limited edition print "Applique Quilt" features a section of stylized traditional Country-style quilt, framed with an abstract flower garland. The etching captures an old fashioned, ...
Category

Late 20th Century American Folk Art Paintings

Materials

Wood, Paper

Superb Ammi Phillips American Folk Art Portrait Painting, circa 1840
By Ammi Phillips
Located in Vero Beach, FL
Superb Ammi Phillips American Folk Art Portrait painting, circa 1840 We are proud of our acquisition of this authentic masterpiece by Ammi Phillips (1788-1865). The finely rendered portrait depicts an attractive young girl in a delightful lifelike quality. The pretty face is a refreshing change from the stern expressions of most of the paintings showing mature female or male sitters. Phillips palette is dark with a strikingly dramatic use of light to her face. The painting, on its original stretchers, is in untouched condition. The frame is period. This painting is unsigned, as are most of his works, but bares the unmistakable characteristics of a Phillips painting. Portrait of a young girl holding a book and wearing a golden whistle. From the New England estate of the renowned Folk Art Collector and scholar, John Bauer...
Category

19th Century American Antique Folk Art Paintings

Materials

Canvas

'Peaceable Jungle' by E. Maxime
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
'Peaceable Jungle' by E. Maxime Haiti, Late 20th century A vibrant masterwork 'Peaceable Jungle' by E. Maxime, hailing from Haiti and painted in the late 20th century. This visual...
Category

Late 20th Century Haitian Folk Art Paintings

Materials

Metal

Antique Indian Pichhwai Silk Painting of Krishna and Gopis
Located in New York, NY
Beautiful antique Pichhwai silk painting of Krishna and Radha accompanied by gopis, devas, the sun God Surya, plants and animals enjoying Dana L...
Category

19th Century Indian Antique Folk Art Paintings

Materials

Silk, Wood

Cuban Contemporary Landscape Oil Painting on Canvas - Unsigned - Late 20th C.
Located in Chatham, ON
Cuban contemporary landscape oil painting on canvas applied to particle board - unsigned - untitled - wood frame - bearing a numbered official seal of the Ministry of Culture of Cuba...
Category

Late 20th Century Cuban Folk Art Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Paint

Framed Maxwell Mays Folk Art Oil on Canvas, Ferris Wheel By The Harbor, 1975
Located in Morristown, NJ
Maxwell Mays (1918-2009) American painter and illustrator. Signed and dated 1975, a framed oil on canvas. This painting captures a lively and nostalgic scene of a carnival featurin...
Category

1970s American Vintage Folk Art Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Wood, Paint

Bali Hindu Textile Framed 'Kamasan' Painting, Indonesia C. 1950
Located in Jimbaran, Bali
A mid-20th century 'Kamasan' cotton textile painting from Bali, Indonesia. The hand-painted image has great detail and depicts Balinese Hindu mythology. Key features of this image ar...
Category

1950s Balinese Vintage Folk Art Paintings

Materials

Cotton, Paint

Large Vintage Balinese Painting on Silk from Ubud Bali 1960's
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Mid 20th Century Balinese Painting on silk fabric, Framed. Vintage large Balinese art painting, from Ubud, Bali acrylic on silk. Beautiful artwork by the Indonesian artist from Ubud. Painted in Peliatan, Ubud Bali by VJ. Kupur as signed on the bottom left hand corner. Balinese Folk Festival ceremonial procession, Ink and acrylic paint on canvas. Batuan painting evolved in the 1930s after a group of local villagers tested different forms with ink-washed paintings upon black backgrounds. These paintings often reveal Batuan’s cultural life, directly through their elements of line, shape, and tone. Meticulous design, craftsmanship, and strong visual impression are characteristic of the style. The painting comprise individual shapes which are painted in a precise and systematic manner that does not leave any empty space. The complexity of the paintings is inevitable as each of the strokes, lines, gradations, the characters or the subjects forms a delicate unity that finely balances the figure-filled canvas. Various gradations of colors separate different sections of the painting. The landscape is enticing and endless. About Bali Art...
Category

Mid-20th Century Balinese Folk Art Paintings

Materials

Silk

Large Vintage Framed Pichhavai Painting of Krishna Playing His Flute
Located in Morristown, NJ
Vintage Pichhavai painting on fabric of Krishna playing is flute with Radha and female Gopis gathered by his side. The colors, details and facial ex...
Category

1970s Indian Vintage Folk Art Paintings

Materials

Fabric, Wood, Paint

Vintage Large Balinese Painting on Silk from Ubud Bali
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Mid-20th century Balinese painting on silk fabric, framed. Vintage large Balinese art painting, from Ubud, Bali acrylic on silk. Beautiful artwork by the Indonesian artist from Ubud. Painted in Peliatan, Ubud Bali by W. Kurpelir as signed on the bottom left hand corner. Balinese Folk Festival ceremonial procession, Ink and acrylic paint on canvas. Batuan painting evolved in the 1930s after a group of local villagers tested different forms with ink-washed paintings upon black backgrounds. These paintings often reveal Batuan’s cultural life, directly through their elements of line, shape, and tone. Meticulous design, craftsmanship, and strong visual impression are characteristic of the style. The painting comprise individual shapes which are painted in a precise and systematic manner that does not leave any empty space. The complexity of the paintings is inevitable as each of the strokes, lines, gradations, the characters or the subjects forms a delicate unity that finely balances the figure-filled canvas. Various gradations of colors separate different sections of the painting. The landscape is enticing and endless. About Bali Art...
Category

Mid-20th Century Balinese Folk Art Paintings

Materials

Silk

19th c. Mexican Retablo "Veronica's Veil" c.1880
Located in San Francisco, CA
ABOUT An original 19th century Mexican folk retablo "Veronica's Veil" or "El Divono Rostro" in Spain . Oil paint on tin. The Veil of Veronica, known in Italian as the Volto Santo or Holy Face, is a Roman Catholic Relic which, according to legend, bears the likeness of the Face of Jesus that was imprinted on it prior to Jesus' crucifixion. According to Roman Catholicism, Saint Veronica encountered Jesus in Jeruselum on the way to Calvary. When she paused to wipe the sweat (Latin, suda) off his face with her veil, his image was left on the veil. In the small village of Osa de la Vega in Spain, there lived a couple who led a very pious life. They were Gregorio de la Torre and Isabel Corral. From their father, Juan Montilla, they inherited a picture of the Face of Jesus or the Divino Rostro. A story that is told one day, to the amazement of many who confirmed its veracity, the picture began to perspire with living blood. News of this extraordinary event spread swiftly and widely throughout the land. CREATOR Unknown. DATE OF MANUFACTURE c.1880. MATERIALS AND TECHNIQUES Oil Paint on Tin. CONDITION Good. Wear consistent with age and use. DIMENSIONS H 14 in. W 10 in. HISTORY Retablos, better known as 'laminas' in Mexico, are small oil paintings on tin, wood and sometimes copper which were used in home altars to venerate the almost infinite number of Catholic saints. The literal translation for 'retablo' is 'behind the altar.' This unique genre of art, deeply rooted in European history, was brought to Mexico with the arrival of the Spanish and then ultimately adopted by New World mestizo natives to become what is known today as the Mexican folk retablo. The retablo was an art form that flourished in post conquest Mexico and then ultimately, with the introduction of inexpensive mediums such as tin, reached its pinnacle of popularity in the last quarter of the 19th century. With some exceptions, mostly untrained artists from the provinces worked to produce and reproduce these sacred images; some subjects painted more prolifically than others. A typical "retablero" may have reproduced the same image hundreds, if not thousands of times in his or her career. These oil paintings were sold to devout believers who displayed them in home altars to honor their patron saints. There are virtually hundreds of saints, each invoked to remedy a different situation. "San Ysidro Labrador," the patron saint of farmers, is venerated for good weather...
Category

19th Century Mexican Antique Folk Art Paintings

Materials

Tin

Antique Circa 1900 Gouache Painting of Great Lakes Lighthouse Steamships, signed
Located in Centennial, CO
A charming and historic antique circa 1900 gouache on board painting, signed "Tully", of the United States Lighthouse Tender (USLHT) Steamship Fleet. The ships ran supplies (tended)...
Category

Early 20th Century American Folk Art Paintings

Materials

Glass, Birdseye Maple, Paint

Oil Painting on Canvas of a 16th Century Building
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Architectural oil painting on canvas of Heydon Hall executed in a rustic naive style with contrived aging and presented in a maple frame. Signed Dan Dunton.
Category

20th Century English Folk Art Paintings

Materials

Paint

Large Vintage Balinese Painting on Silk from Ubud Bali 1960's
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Mid 20th Century Balinese Painting on silk fabric, Framed. Vintage large Balinese art painting, from Ubud, Bali acrylic on silk. Beautiful artwork by the Indonesian artist from Ubud. Painted in Peliatan, Ubud Bali by VJ. Kupur as signed on the bottom left hand corner. Balinese Folk Festival ceremonial procession, Ink and acrylic paint on canvas. Batuan painting evolved in the 1930s after a group of local villagers tested different forms with ink-washed paintings upon black backgrounds. These paintings often reveal Batuan’s cultural life, directly through their elements of line, shape, and tone. Meticulous design, craftsmanship, and strong visual impression are characteristic of the style. The painting comprise individual shapes which are painted in a precise and systematic manner that does not leave any empty space. The complexity of the paintings is inevitable as each of the strokes, lines, gradations, the characters or the subjects forms a delicate unity that finely balances the figure-filled canvas. Various gradations of colors separate different sections of the painting. The landscape is enticing and endless. About Bali Art...
Category

Mid-20th Century Balinese Folk Art Paintings

Materials

Silk

Fine Italian Landscape of Peasants at Rest, Oil on Board, Late 19th Century
Located in Toronto, CA
A wonderful Italian painting depicting peasants at rest under trees, with haystacks and farm buildings in the distance. Oil on board, late nineteenth century or early twentieth centu...
Category

Late 19th Century Italian Antique Folk Art Paintings

Materials

Paint

Haitian Painting on Canvas of a Still life by Gabriel Alix
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Standout vintage Haitian acrylic painting on canvas of a still life with fruit, executed with a spirited naive flair by noted artist Gabriel Alix. Present...
Category

Mid-20th Century Haitian Folk Art Paintings

Materials

Cane, Acrylic, Wood

Naive Portrait of a Girl, English, Early 19th Century
Located in St Annes, Lancashire
Wonderful naive oil painting of a girl. Fabulous muted colors. The austerity of the image is matched by the simplicity of the antique bleached oak frame. I have chosen not to resto...
Category

1840s English Antique Folk Art Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oak

Portrait of Mary Elizabeth Dyer, Aged 4. Dated 1829
Located in St Annes, Lancashire
A lovely naive portrait of a young girl Interesting provenance on the verso Watercolour on paper. Condition report- Some surface loss, foxing and a tiny hole top left Presented ...
Category

1820s English Antique Folk Art Paintings

Materials

Paper, Birdseye Maple

Folk Art Watercolor Painting - Unsigned - Framed - Canada - Mid 20th Century
Located in Chatham, ON
Vintage folk art watercolor painting on paper - double bevel edged matte board - birch wood frame with glass - Canada (likely) - circa 1970's. Good vintage condition - artwork not v...
Category

Mid-20th Century Canadian Folk Art Paintings

Materials

Glass, Wood, Paint, Paper

African Ethiopian Tribal Folk Art Painting 20th Century
Located in Milano, MI
Ancient Ethiopian painting imported to Italy by a diplomat during the Italian occupation of Ethiopia, in the late 1930s. This genre scene painting is divided into eighteen squares bordered by a black frame and divided into three lines. The scene depicts the story of a couple with three children through the stories of their domestic life and their rural activity; each box has a caption written in the Amharic language. In the first line: they grind; they drink; …illegible… while they spin; they bring water. In the second line: comb, cut your hair; treats your teeth; grind; they bring the wood; they bring water. In the third section: they prepare beer; they prepare bread; they cook bread; they prepare lunch; while they eat; while they drink. This canvas is painted in shades of ocher and is mounteed on a ebonized frame. Dates back to the late 1930s. The canvas show minimal tears and signs of wear but we can customize a restoration. The human figures are characterized by unrealistic proportions of the head and body and depicted in static positions. This sense of fixity and the narration in successive chapters in domestic environments make the paintings easily intelligible and suggestive. A particularly fascinating aspect of Ethiopian art...
Category

Mid-20th Century Ethiopian Folk Art Paintings

Materials

Canvas

Bali Hindu Textile Framed 'Kamasan' Painting, Indonesia C. 1950
Located in Jimbaran, Bali
This striking vintage Balinese Kamasan painting, rendered on handwoven cotton, beautifully captures the timeless elegance of classical Wayang-style st...
Category

1950s Balinese Vintage Folk Art Paintings

Materials

Cotton, Paint

Spanish Colonial Cuzco School Madonna "Nuestra Senora Del Rosario"
Located in Pasadena, CA
This is a very good example of late 18th/early 19th century Cuzco School painting of a Madonna Representing "Our Lady of the Rosary" (Nuestra Senora del Rosario). The painting depict...
Category

Early 19th Century Peruvian Antique Folk Art Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Wood, Paint

Zabihi Collection Chinese Batou Pictorial Rug
Located in New York, NY
1920s Chinese Batou Scatter size Rug Details rug no. j2234 size 3' x 6' 1" (91 x 185 cm)
Category

Early 20th Century Folk Art Paintings

Materials

Wool

Vintage Haitian Painting of Animals in a Jungle by Jean Claude
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Enchanting mid century Haitian acrylic painting on canvas of African animals and ducks in a pond in a jungle setting executed in a distinctive naive style, signed Jean Claude in the ...
Category

Mid-20th Century Haitian Folk Art Paintings

Materials

Paint

Vintage American Folk Art Painting of a Cat, Oil on Wood
Located in Clifton Springs, NY
Charming American Folk Art oil painting on wood features orange cat sitting next to fish bowl with gold fish. The painting is executed ...
Category

20th Century American Folk Art Paintings

Materials

Wood

Vintage Reverse Glass Mythical Seascape Painting from Madura Island, Indonesia
Located in Jimbaran, Bali
A framed reverse glass painting from the island of Madura, off the Northeastern coast of Java. The painting depicts a mythical seascape with a bright array of colours. The painter wo...
Category

1980s Indonesian Vintage Folk Art Paintings

Materials

Glass, Wood

Vintage Haitian Painting with Black Cats and Fruit by Pierre Louis
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Captivating Mid Century Haitian acrylic painting on canvas depicting four black cats in a lush outdoor setting with an unexpected group of plants and fruit, executed in a distinctive...
Category

20th Century Haitian Folk Art Paintings

Materials

Paint

Spanish Colonial Cuzco School Madonna "Nuestra Senora Del Rosario"
Located in Pasadena, CA
This is a very good example of late 18th/early 19th century Cuzco School painting of a Madonna Representing "Our Lady of the Rosary" (Nuestra Senora del Rosario). The painting depict...
Category

Early 19th Century Peruvian Antique Folk Art Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Wood, Paint

German Folk Art Naïve Military Painting, circa 1870
Located in London, GB
A wonderful example of a circa 1870 German Folk Art naïve military scene in townscape annotated to celebrate a soldier. In ceremonial regalia in watercolou...
Category

1870s German Antique Folk Art Paintings

Materials

Paper

Vintage African Folk Art Painting on Canvas of Animals
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Striking Tanzanian painting on canvas executed in the distinctive Tinga Tinga style, using bicycle paint as a medium, depicting animals in a landscape with a blazing sunset. Signed M...
Category

Late 20th Century Tanzanian Folk Art Paintings

Materials

Paint

Pichhavai Hindu Painting of Radha and Krishna with Female Gopis
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Large Pichhavai Hindu Painting of Radha and Krishna with Female Gopis. Pichhwai Hindu Painting of Krishna and Radha framed under glass. Kris...
Category

Early 20th Century Indian Folk Art Paintings

Materials

Silk, Glass, Wood

Oil Painting on Canvas of a 16th Century Building
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Architectural oil painting on canvas of Heydon Hall executed in a rustic naive style with contrived aging and presented in a maple frame. Signed Dan Dunton.
Category

20th Century English Folk Art Paintings

Materials

Paint

Mexican Wrestler Painting
Located in Mexico City, CDMX
Circa 1970, we offer this rare Mexican Wrestler Acrilic Painting.
Category

1970s Mexican Vintage Folk Art Paintings

Materials

Paint

Vintage Reverse Glass Mythical Seascape Painting from Madura Island, Indonesia
Located in Jimbaran, Bali
A framed reverse glass painting from the island of Madura, off the Northeastern coast of Java. The painting depicts a mythical seascape with a bright array of colours. The painter wo...
Category

1980s Indonesian Vintage Folk Art Paintings

Materials

Glass, Wood

Reverse Glass Painting of Saint George and the Dragon
Located in Stamford, CT
Verre églomisé, or reverse glass painting with gilding of Saint George and the Dragon. St George shown riding his steed, slaying the dragon...
Category

Early 19th Century German Antique Folk Art Paintings

Materials

Glass

19th Century Watercolor Seascape with Shipwreck
Located in Nantucket, MA
Antique seascape with shipwreck on a rocky shore, mid-19th century, a watercolor on paper seascape with a shipwrecked brig on the rocks, with another squall rolling in on horizon, un...
Category

Mid-19th Century American Antique Folk Art Paintings

Materials

Paper

42x50 Vintage Signed Original Abstract Mid CenturymModern Folk Art Painting 1974
Located in Troy, MI
Massive abstract folk art painting signed by the artist and dated 1974 A colorful statement piece in greens and reds with yellow center eye detail Presumably originated in the Santa...
Category

1970s American Vintage Folk Art Paintings

Materials

Paint

Mexican Wrestler Painting
Located in Mexico City, CDMX
Circa 1970, we offer this rare Mexican Wrestler Acrilic Painting.
Category

1970s Mexican Vintage Folk Art Paintings

Materials

Paint

E. SIMCOE - Vintage Oil Painting on Panel - Unframed - Canada - Mid 20th Century
Located in Chatham, ON
E. Simcoe - Vintage Impressionist style oil painting on panel - signed - unframed - Canada - mid 20th century. Excellent vintage condition - very clean - no loss - no damage - no re...
Category

Mid-20th Century Canadian Folk Art Paintings

Materials

Masonite, Paint

19th Century American Folk Art Oil Painting Landscape Sailboats On River
Located in Stamford, CT
A 19th century American folk art oil painting on canvas depicting a river scene at dawn with a horse and rider on a bridge over a waterf...
Category

Mid-19th Century American Antique Folk Art Paintings

Materials

Canvas

Swedish 19th Century Folk Art Oil Painting With Kids
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Swedish naive oil painting with the original frame, from the 2nd part of the 19th Century. This folk art work on canvas represents kids and a dog playing by a courtyard, opening the...
Category

Late 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Wood

Important Monumental Vintage Folk Art Painting of Vibrant Harvest Scene - Mexico
Located in Oklahoma City, OK
A captivating vintage Mexican folk art painting brimming with color, cultural richness, and a very unique story! While at a destination wedding in Puerto Vallarta, our driver passed ...
Category

20th Century Mexican Folk Art Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Paint

Framed Maxwell Mays Folk Art Oil on Canvas, Ferris Wheel By The Harbor, 1975
Located in Morristown, NJ
Maxwell Mays (1918-2009) American painter and illustrator. Signed and dated 1975, a framed oil on canvas. This painting captures a lively and nostalgic scene of a carnival featurin...
Category

1970s American Vintage Folk Art Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Wood, Paint

Vintage American Framed Oil on Canvas - Boy with a Toy Boat, Signed Trevor James
By Ammi Phillips
Located in Morristown, NJ
Vintage folk art style oil painting by Trevor James depicting a young boy holding a sailboat. The boy has a very sweet face and the stray curl of hair on his forehead further adds to...
Category

1990s American Folk Art Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Wood, Paint

Vintage American Framed Oil on Canvas - Girl with Basket, Signed Trevor James
By Ammi Phillips
Located in Morristown, NJ
Vintage folk art style oil painting by Trevor James depicting a young girl holding a posey basket. The young girl has a serene facial expression and there is a gentle and quiet still...
Category

1990s American Folk Art Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Wood, Paint

Native American Hunter with his Mustang Oil Painting
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Native American Hunter with his Mustang oil painting on cannvas. Original Contemporary oil painting canvas stretched on wood.. Signed on the right corner. ( illisible).
Category

Late 20th Century American Folk Art Paintings

Materials

Canvas

Large Maxwell Mays Folk Art Oil on Canvas, Cascade Springs Colorado, 1983
Located in Morristown, NJ
Maxwell Mays (1918-2009) American painter and illustrator. Signed and dated 1983. This painting titled "Cascade Springs" is an intricate and lively depiction of a bustling Colorado town during its historical boom period. The painting illustrates the vibrant energy of the town with details of trains, trolleys, horse-drawn carriages, and pedestrians in a winter landscape. The scene captures the essence of Victorian and Edwardian architecture alongside the Rockies, representing a mix of rural charm and the burgeoning industrial presence with trains labeled "Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe" and freight cars marked "Rock Island" and "DRG." The composition is filled with movement: people strolling on the sidewalks, horses pulling carts loaded with goods, and trains arriving and departing, indicating a hub of economic and social activity. The detailed rendering of buildings, including "William M. Baxter Hay & Grain" and market scenes, emphasizes the town's industry and commerce. The snowy mountains and rooftops in the background further ground the painting in the Colorado Springs region, showcasing the rugged, wintry landscape that frames the town. The palette of subdued winter tones, combined with bright pops of color in the trains and clothing of the figures, enhances the painting’s nostalgic and whimsical quality typical of Mays' work. The title plaque on the back provides historical context, describing how people came to Colorado Springs for both riches and health, symbolizing a new society born from the merging of the West with industrial advancement. This picturesque narrative combined with Mays’ folk art style makes it a remarkable piece evoking both history and community. Overall, "Cascade Springs" is a celebration of early American life in a rapidly modernizing town, capturing both its charm and progressiveness through Mays' detailed and stylized artistic lens. Dimensions: 45.5"w x 35"h x 1.5"d (sight) Condition: Good. No issues observed. Ready to hang. About the Artist" Maxwell Mays was born in Rhode Island in 1918, and focused his art on celebrating the landscapes of his home state. Known for their birds-eye perspectives and nostalgic style, Mays' prints have appeared multiple times on the cover of Yankee Magazine. His paintings hang in many establishments, including the University of Rhode Island, and are particular favorites of Rhode Island residents. Mays' artwork often depicts scenes from throughout Rhode Island and the surrounding areas of New England but he did produce works depicting communities from across America . Featuring town squares, farm lands, and harbors, Maxwell Mays' prints celebrate the Americana found in small towns. A graduate of RISD, he began painting seriously while serving in the US Air Force in Brazil during WWII. His first one-man commercial show was at the Ferargil Gallery in New York in 1948. In the ensuing years he became notable for a number of highly successful art shows and magazine covers, and was a highly sought-after speaker and storyteller. As a successful businessman, he was Treasurer of Mays Manufacturing Company, a family business until its sale in the mid-1980s. He was Past President and Director Emeritus of the Providence Art...
Category

1980s American Vintage Folk Art Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Wood, Paint

Vintage American Framed Oil on Canvas - Boy with a Toy Boat, Signed Trevor James
By Ammi Phillips
Located in Morristown, NJ
Vintage folk art style oil painting by Trevor James depicting a young boy holding a sailboat. The boy has a very sweet face and the stray curl of hair on his forehead further adds to...
Category

1990s American Folk Art Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Wood, Paint

Dutch Ice Skating Oil on Canvas by Van Buiksloot
Located in Dallas, TX
Presenting a glorious piece of original Dutch art, namely, a scene of Dutch ice skating oil on canvas by Van Buiksloot. J. Van Buiksloot was a Dut...
Category

Mid-20th Century Dutch Folk Art Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Giltwood

Agapito Labios Mexican Folk Art Oil Painting on Canvas of a Girl
By Agapito Labios
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Enchanting oil painting on canvas of a girl in a ceremonial dress against an architectural background executed in a distinct naive folk art style. Signed Agapito Labios and presented...
Category

Mid-20th Century Mexican Folk Art Paintings

Materials

Paint

2003 Portrait of Mother With Child, Folk Art, Oil Painting on Board
Located in San Carlos, CA
FOR SALE: Stunning Folk Art Oil Painting – Andean Woman & Child with Birds Bring color and culture into your space with this marvelous folk art (outsider art) oil painting on a wood...
Category

Early 2000s Peruvian Folk Art Paintings

Materials

Wood, Paint

Folk Art Reverse Glass Tinsel Painting - Original Frame - U.S. - Circa 1850's
Located in Chatham, ON
Exceptional Folk Art reverse painting on glass with foil/tinsel back (églomisé) - original hand made wood frame with carved and painted details - unsigned - United States - circa 185...
Category

Mid-19th Century American Antique Folk Art Paintings

Materials

Glass, Softwood, Paint

Jan Bačur Naive Folk Art Painting Oil on Canvas Framed, Serbia 1986
Located in Clifton Springs, NY
The original oil on canvas painting depicts a country scene with a woman handing laundry on the line with a few chickens and a dog surrounding her. Bright dress and colorful laundry ...
Category

1980s Serbian Vintage Folk Art Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Paint

Bright Impressionist Oil painting of French Town Signed A. Roubaud Gilded Frame
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
This is a bright, pastel hued scene of an ancient French town or village. The impressionism and the design and use of color are masterful. The painting is signed A. (Andre) Roubaud...
Category

1980s French Vintage Folk Art Paintings

Materials

Canvas

E. MULBE - Vintage Gouache Painting on Panel - Signed - Framed - 20th Century
Located in Chatham, ON
Vintage - E. MULBE - gouache landscape painting on panel - signed lower left - contained in a vintage softwood frame - old Simpson's framing label verso - mid 20th century. Excellen...
Category

Mid-20th Century Folk Art Paintings

Materials

Wood, Paint

Original Acrylic on Wood Painting of Birds & Pot with Tree by A Rangel Hidalgo
Located in Mexico, DF
Original acrylic painting on wood with Two blackbirds and a pot with an orange tree against a blue background in square format by Alejandro Rangel Hidalgo. Rangel was an artist, grap...
Category

1960s Mexican Vintage Folk Art Paintings

Materials

Acrylic

Collection of Mexican Prayer Plaques "Retablos Ex-Votos" from 1950s and 1960s
Located in North Miami, FL
This is an amazing and important collection of 8 plaques (7 tin metal and one in wood) that have been hand painted by Catholic religious devotees in gratitude to either Christ, Virgi...
Category

1950s Mexican Vintage Folk Art Paintings

Materials

Tin

Vintage Haitian Painting with Black Cats and Fruit by Pierre Louis
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Captivating Mid Century Haitian acrylic painting on canvas depicting four black cats in a lush outdoor setting with an unexpected group of plants and fruit, executed in a distinctive...
Category

20th Century Haitian Folk Art Paintings

Materials

Paint

Original Cover of Mexican Comic "Sensacional de Maestros"
Located in Mexico City, CDMX
We offer this amazing original cover painted in gouache in excellent vintage condition, issue 291 "Al gato y al ratón jugabas con mi chon", circa 1990. About the Sensacional Comics as part of the Mexican Culture: "Sensacional" is the generic name of a handful of Mexican comics published at the end of the 1970s (1979 to be exact) and whose "boom" remained in force within the Mexican idiosyncrasy for around 20 years, (all the decade of the 80's and 90's) to then go downhill and "evolve", so to speak, until they become sexually explicit...
Category

1990s Mexican Folk Art Paintings

Materials

Acrylic

Large Port Scene Painting of a View of Valletta Harbour, Malta
Located in Downingtown, PA
Large Port scene painting of a view of Valletta Harbour, Malta, Oil on canvas, Mid-19th century. The massive painting was made from the upper gardens...
Category

Mid-19th Century Maltese Antique Folk Art Paintings

Materials

Paint

Mexican Wrestler Painting
Located in Mexico City, CDMX
Circa 1970, we offer this rare Mexican Wrestler Acrilic Painting.
Category

1970s Mexican Vintage Folk Art Paintings

Materials

Paint

Purvis Young Original Painting "Procession" in Series #2, Signed
Located in North Miami, FL
Depiction of a procession in oil on recycled curtain vinyl by acclaimed Miami street artist Purvis Young. Gustavo Olivieri sourced directly from Mr. Young while he was alive and enjo...
Category

Late 20th Century American Folk Art Paintings

Materials

Canvas

Pair of Vintage Mexican Folk Art Paintings of a Man and a Woman by Oscar Bernach
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Double take pair of vintage Mexican oil paintings on canvas of a man and a woman in interior settings executed in a distinctive naive sty...
Category

Mid-20th Century Mexican Folk Art Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Mirror, Giltwood, Paint

Impressionist and Post-Impressionist Masterpieces at the Musee d'Orsay Book
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Impressionist and Post-Impressionist Masterpieces at the Musee d'Orsay by Anne Distel, Genieve Lacambre, Sylvie Gache-Patin, et al. Musee d'Orsay Impressionist and Post-Impressioni...
Category

Late 20th Century Indian Folk Art Paintings

Materials

Paper

Bali Hindu Textile Framed 'Kamasan' Painting, Indonesia C. 1940
Located in Jimbaran, Bali
This captivating Balinese Kamasan textile painting showcases the distinctive style rooted in the classical Wayang tradition, unfolding a mythic tableau rich with symbolism and storyt...
Category

1950s Balinese Vintage Folk Art Paintings

Materials

Cotton, Paint

Naive Ethiopian Painting for the 79th Anniversary Italo-Ethiopian War in 1975
Located in Budapest, HU
Mengistu Haile Mariam and other Generals looking at the celebrators oil on canvas painting, 90 x 190 cm with Ge'ez language inscriptions.
Category

1970s Ethiopian Vintage Folk Art Paintings

Materials

Canvas

Folk Art paintings for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique folk art paintings for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage paintings created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include folk art, wall decorations and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with canvas, fabric and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Folk Art paintings made in a specific country, there are North America, and United States pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original paintings, popular names associated with this style include Purvis Young, Alejandro Rangel Hidalgo, M J Myers, and A. Tamme. It’s true that these talented designers have at times inspired knockoffs, but our experienced specialists have partnered with only top vetted sellers to offer authentic pieces that come with a buyer protection guarantee. Prices for paintings differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $2,380 and tops out at $2,600 while the average work can sell for $2,490.

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