Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
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.
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Metal
2010s American Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Steel
2010s American Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Steel
1990s Cuban Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Ceramic
1970s Haitian Vintage Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Steel
Mid-20th Century Unknown Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Wood
1990s Italian Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Wood
20th Century Mexican Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Textile, Wood, Paper
Early 1900s Scandinavian Antique Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Wood
20th Century African Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Wood, Hardwood
19th Century American Antique Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Wood
1950s American Vintage Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Hardwood
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Bronze, Copper
Mid-20th Century Ecuadorean Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Wood, Olive
1890s American Antique Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Wood, Giltwood, Paint
2010s American Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Steel
2010s American Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Steel
1820s English Antique Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Pottery
20th Century American Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Shell
1890s Austrian Antique Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Wood
Early 20th Century Italian Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Metal
1970s German Vintage Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Wood
Early 20th Century Chinese Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Soapstone
1960s Mexican Vintage Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Brass, Copper
2010s Mexican Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Ceramic
Mid-19th Century Burmese Antique Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Teak
19th Century French Antique Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Copper, Iron
1890s Austrian Antique Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Wood
1910s French Vintage Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Pottery
2010s American Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Steel
2010s Mexican Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Ceramic, Clay
2010s American Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Steel
Mid-20th Century Mexican Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Paste, Paint, Paper
Late 20th Century Beninese Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Hardwood
20th Century Kenyan Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Wood
Mid-20th Century Kenyan Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Ebony
Early 20th Century African Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Bronze
2010s American Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Steel
21st Century and Contemporary American Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Ceramic, Clay, Terracotta
2010s Mexican Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Ceramic, Clay
1980s American Vintage Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Wood
Mid-20th Century Thai Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Bronze
20th Century Nigerian Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Wood
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Copper
1880s American Antique Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Walnut
21st Century and Contemporary American Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Wood
2010s Mexican Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Ceramic, Clay
2010s Mexican Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Ceramic, Clay
2010s American Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Steel, Metal
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Metal
Mid-19th Century Antique Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Teak
Mid-20th Century Thai Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Bronze
2010s American Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Steel
Early 20th Century Burmese Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Teak
1970s Central Asian Vintage Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Hardwood, Paint
19th Century British Antique Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Pine
2010s American Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Steel
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Cement
1820s English Antique Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Pottery
1940s American Vintage Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Wood
18th Century Italian Antique Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Linen, Fruitwood
2010s Mexican Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Ceramic, Clay
2010s Mexican Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Ceramic, Clay
2010s Mexican Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Clay, Ceramic
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Wood, Paint
1990s Russian Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Plywood, Paint
1990s French Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Ceramic
2010s American Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Steel
Early 20th Century French Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Mexican Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Wicker
Late 20th Century American Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Cut Steel
20th Century Central African Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Brass
2010s English Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Wood