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.
20th Century American Folk Art Sculptures
Paint, Paper
Mid-20th Century Mexican Folk Art Sculptures
Ceramic, Pottery
1890s Antique Folk Art Sculptures
Sheet Metal
20th Century Kenyan Folk Art Sculptures
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Colombian Folk Art Sculptures
Oak, Cedar
1960s Greenlandic Vintage Folk Art Sculptures
Soapstone
2010s Moroccan Folk Art Sculptures
Clay, Earthenware
20th Century American Folk Art Sculptures
Tin
Late 19th Century European Antique Folk Art Sculptures
Pottery
2010s American Folk Art Sculptures
Steel
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Sculptures
Gesso, Pine, Paint
1830s Scottish Antique Folk Art Sculptures
Brass, Iron, Nickel
20th Century North American Folk Art Sculptures
Iron
19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Sculptures
Wood
Early 20th Century Asian Folk Art Sculptures
Wood, Paint
1990s American Folk Art Sculptures
Wood
1920s Unknown Vintage Folk Art Sculptures
Pine
20th Century Central African Folk Art Sculptures
Brass
2010s American Folk Art Sculptures
Metal, Steel
20th Century Congolese Folk Art Sculptures
Terracotta
Early 20th Century French Folk Art Sculptures
Metal
20th Century Chinese Folk Art Sculptures
Wood
1980s American Vintage Folk Art Sculptures
Ceramic
20th Century Chinese Folk Art Sculptures
Horn
1880s American Antique Folk Art Sculptures
Iron
Late 19th Century French Antique Folk Art Sculptures
Belgian Black Marble, Bronze
20th Century American Folk Art Sculptures
Steel, Iron
19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Sculptures
Iron
Mid-20th Century French Folk Art Sculptures
Steel
1970s Central Asian Vintage Folk Art Sculptures
Hardwood, Paint
Mid-19th Century Brazilian Antique Folk Art Sculptures
Silver
1910s French Vintage Folk Art Sculptures
Pottery
Mid-20th Century Mexican Folk Art Sculptures
Ceramic
Early 20th Century African Folk Art Sculptures
Bronze
2010s American Folk Art Sculptures
Steel
Late 19th Century French Antique Folk Art Sculptures
Wire
19th Century French Antique Folk Art Sculptures
Metal
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Sculptures
Wood, Paint
Late 20th Century American Folk Art Sculptures
Clay
2010s Moroccan Folk Art Sculptures
Clay, Earthenware
18th Century French Antique Folk Art Sculptures
Iron
Mid-20th Century Brazilian Folk Art Sculptures
Wood
1990s British Folk Art Sculptures
Driftwood
1930s American Vintage Folk Art Sculptures
Iron, Lead
20th Century Mexican Folk Art Sculptures
Copper
19th Century Antique Folk Art Sculptures
Wood
Mid-20th Century Folk Art Sculptures
Marble
Mid-20th Century Hong Kong Folk Art Sculptures
Plastic, Plaster
2010s English Folk Art Sculptures
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Mexican Folk Art Sculptures
Wicker
Early 20th Century Spanish Folk Art Sculptures
Bronze
Late 20th Century American Folk Art Sculptures
Metal
Late 19th Century American Antique Folk Art Sculptures
Wood
1940s American Vintage Folk Art Sculptures
Sheet Metal
Late 20th Century Mexican Folk Art Sculptures
Paper
20th Century Unknown Folk Art Sculptures
Teak
Early 20th Century African Folk Art Sculptures
Bronze
1970s American Vintage Folk Art Sculptures
Metal
Early 1900s Austrian Antique Folk Art Sculptures
Pine
19th Century Pakistani Antique Folk Art Sculptures
Wood