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.
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Copper
20th Century Central African Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Brass
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Brass
20th Century Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Birch
Mid-20th Century Greenlandic Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Soapstone
Early 1900s French Antique Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Marble, Spelter
20th Century Congolese Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Terracotta
1970s American Vintage Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Metal
1970s Greenlandic Vintage Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Stoneware
Late 19th Century German Antique Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Wood
1930s American Vintage Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Paper
21st Century and Contemporary American Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Metal
Mid-20th Century Greenlandic Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Soapstone
Early 1900s Austrian Antique Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Pine
1930s American Vintage Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Marble
1990s American Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Wood
Mid-20th Century Swedish Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Cherry
Late 20th Century Mexican Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Pottery
Mid-19th Century Unknown Antique Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Wood
Mid-20th Century South African Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Cotton, Wood
Early 20th Century Italian Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Softwood
Early 20th Century Scandinavian Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Wood
1940s Mexican Vintage Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Stone
Mid-20th Century South African Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Fabric, Cotton, Wood
1970s Vintage Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Wood
2010s American Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Steel
Late 19th Century French Antique Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Wire
1830s Scottish Antique Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Brass, Iron, Nickel
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Pine
Mid-20th Century German Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Iron
Mid-20th Century German Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Iron
Mid-20th Century South African Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Twine, Cotton, Wood
1930s Beninese Vintage Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Ebony
2010s Mexican Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Ceramic, Clay
Late 20th Century Beninese Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Ebony
1970s American Vintage Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Iron, Wrought Iron
19th Century Asian Antique Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Wood
2010s Mexican Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Ceramic, Clay
Mid-19th Century French Antique Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Ceramic
Early 20th Century Swedish Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Pine
1950s American Vintage Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Wood
Late 20th Century Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Paper
1920s Unknown Vintage Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Wood, Paint, Hardwood
1980s Italian Vintage Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Wood
20th Century American Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Cotton
2010s Mexican Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Clay, Ceramic
Late 19th Century American Antique Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Wood
Late 20th Century Beninese Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Ebony
2010s Mexican Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Ceramic, Clay
20th Century Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Wood, Paint
1870s Italian Antique Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Pine
2010s Mexican Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Ceramic, Clay
Early 20th Century Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Wood
1970s American Vintage Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Cypress
Early 20th Century Mexican Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Terracotta
1960s Italian Vintage Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Metal
2010s American Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Steel
Mid-20th Century Unknown Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Wood