Folk Art 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.
18th Century and Earlier Irish Antique Folk Art Sculptures
Pine
Mid-20th Century Folk Art Sculptures
Blown Glass, Art Glass
2010s Moroccan Folk Art Sculptures
Clay, Earthenware
Late 20th Century American Folk Art Sculptures
Brass, Copper
1920s British Vintage Folk Art Sculptures
Wood
20th Century Brazilian Folk Art Sculptures
Crystal
2010s Mexican Folk Art Sculptures
Ceramic, Clay
Mid-20th Century Mexican Folk Art Sculptures
Ceramic, Pottery
Mid-20th Century Thai Folk Art Sculptures
Bronze
1890s Austrian Antique Folk Art Sculptures
Wood
Mid-20th Century Hong Kong Folk Art Sculptures
Plastic, Plaster
19th Century French Antique Folk Art Sculptures
Copper, Iron
Early 1900s Malian Antique Folk Art Sculptures
Hardwood
Early 20th Century English Folk Art Sculptures
Iron
1980s American Vintage Folk Art Sculptures
Metal
Mid-20th Century Mexican Folk Art Sculptures
Pottery
19th Century American Antique Folk Art Sculptures
Iron
1930s Vintage Folk Art Sculptures
Wood
19th Century Pakistani Antique Folk Art Sculptures
Wood
Mid-20th Century Folk Art Sculptures
Brass
20th Century Mexican Folk Art Sculptures
Textile, Wood, Paper
Mid-20th Century Mexican Folk Art Sculptures
Paste, Paint, Paper
21st Century and Contemporary American Folk Art Sculptures
Ceramic, Clay, Terracotta
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Sculptures
Wood
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Sculptures
Cement
Late 20th Century American Folk Art Sculptures
Metal
20th Century Unknown Folk Art Sculptures
Ceramic
Mid-20th Century European Folk Art Sculptures
Brass, Copper
20th Century Mexican Folk Art Sculptures
Copper
Mid-20th Century Folk Art Sculptures
Padouk
Mid-20th Century Thai Folk Art Sculptures
Bronze
Early 20th Century African Folk Art Sculptures
Wood
1970s American Vintage Folk Art Sculptures
Brass
Early 20th Century African Folk Art Sculptures
Bronze
Late 20th Century Beninese Folk Art Sculptures
Hardwood
Early 20th Century Chinese Folk Art Sculptures
Soapstone
Early 20th Century Folk Art Sculptures
Brass
1890s German Antique Folk Art Sculptures
Wood
Late 19th Century American Antique Folk Art Sculptures
Metal, Iron
Mid-20th Century Ecuadorean Folk Art Sculptures
Wood, Olive
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Sculptures
Pine
Mid-20th Century French Folk Art Sculptures
Concrete
1890s Swedish Antique Folk Art Sculptures
Leather, Wood
20th Century Swedish Folk Art Sculptures
Wood
1950s American Vintage Folk Art Sculptures
Wood
Early 20th Century Asian Folk Art Sculptures
Wood, Paint
1880s American Antique Folk Art Sculptures
Copper, Iron, Zinc
20th Century Mexican Folk Art Sculptures
Ceramic
Early 20th Century French Folk Art Sculptures
Metal
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Sculptures
Wood
1970s German Vintage Folk Art Sculptures
Wood
1980s Chinese Vintage Folk Art Sculptures
Metal
Mid-20th Century Folk Art Sculptures
Metal, Iron
20th Century Kenyan Folk Art Sculptures
Wood
20th Century Nigerian Folk Art Sculptures
Wood
2010s Brazilian Folk Art Sculptures
Hardwood, Shell, Paint
19th Century English Antique Folk Art Sculptures
Iron
1950s French Vintage Folk Art Sculptures
Steel
Early 1900s Malian Antique Folk Art Sculptures
Hardwood
15th Century and Earlier Swedish Antique Folk Art Sculptures
Pine