Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
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.
Early 1900s Balinese Antique Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Cotton, Paint
1850s Japanese Antique Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Pottery
Mid-20th Century Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Marble
1970s Indian Vintage Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Fabric, Wood, Paint
Mid-19th Century Turkish Antique Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Metallic Thread
1970s Indian Vintage Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Fabric, Wood, Paint
20th Century German Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Iron
Early 20th Century Indian Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Cotton
Late 19th Century Turkish Antique Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Metallic Thread
Early 20th Century Indian Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Bronze
Mid-19th Century Japanese Antique Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Pottery
Mid-20th Century Thai Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Velvet
1960s Israeli Vintage Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Canvas, Acrylic
Mid-20th Century Uzbek Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Cotton, Silk
Late 19th Century Unknown Antique Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Wood, Paper
1980s Balinese Vintage Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Canvas
19th Century Indian Antique Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Bronze
Early 1900s Seychellois Antique Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Coconut
20th Century Pakistani Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Cotton
20th Century Thai Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Wood
Mid-20th Century Afghan Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Velvet
Mid-20th Century Chinese Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Silk
Mid-20th Century Chinese Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Silk
Mid-20th Century Chinese Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Silk
Early 20th Century Hungarian Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Silk
19th Century Balinese Antique Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Wood
Early 20th Century Indian Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Cotton
1960s American Vintage Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Paint
Early 20th Century Burmese Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Bamboo
Mid-19th Century Moroccan Antique Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Silk
Mid-20th Century Pakistani Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Cotton, Silk
Mid-19th Century Uzbek Antique Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Silk
Mid-20th Century Uzbek Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Cotton, Silk
Early 20th Century Turkmen Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Cotton, Silk
Early 20th Century Pakistani Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Silk
Mid-20th Century Uzbek Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Silk
Mid-20th Century Uzbek Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Cotton
Mid-20th Century Turkish Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Cotton, Silk
Late 19th Century Japanese Antique Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Iron
19th Century Balinese Antique Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Wood
Late 19th Century Japanese Antique Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Iron
1920s Chinese Vintage Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Paper
Mid-20th Century Indian Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Velvet, Sequins
1920s Chinese Vintage Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Paper
Mid-20th Century Afghan Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Silk
Early 20th Century Turkmen Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Cotton
1920s Chinese Vintage Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Paper
1940s Mongolian Vintage Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Wool
Mid-20th Century Afghan Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Velvet, Sequins
19th Century Pakistani Antique Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Muslin, Silk
Mid-20th Century Indian Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Cotton, Silk
Mid-20th Century Japanese Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Stoneware
Mid-20th Century Thai Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Wood, Giltwood
Late 20th Century Turkish Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Fabric
Late 19th Century Korean Antique Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Textile
Early 20th Century Korean Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Textile
19th Century Japanese Antique Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Wood
Mid-20th Century Thai Folk Art Asian Art and Furniture
Resin