Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
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.
Late 19th Century Welsh Antique Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Slate
1930s German Vintage Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Wood
Mid-20th Century Mexican Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Pottery
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Wood
1970s Swedish Vintage Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Wood, Paint
Late 19th Century African Antique Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Bronze
20th Century American Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Wood, Paint
2010s American Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Metal, Steel
1960s German Vintage Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Wood
Late 19th Century German Antique Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Wood
Early 1900s Antique Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Metal
20th Century Mexican Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Textile, Wood, Paper
20th Century Sicilian Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Ceramic
20th Century Indian Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Hardwood
1940s French Vintage Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Metal
Early 20th Century Swedish Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Pine
1970s African Vintage Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Wood
20th Century Chinese Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Wood, Pine
1960s American Vintage Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Wood
20th Century Mexican Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Ceramic
Late 19th Century Austrian Antique Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Wood
18th Century Mexican Antique Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Wood, Paint
Early 20th Century Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Wood
19th Century Tibetan Antique Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Multi-gemstone, Rock Crystal, Ormolu
1920s British Vintage Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Wood
19th Century American Antique Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Iron
Late 19th Century German Antique Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Mirror, Wood
1910s American Vintage Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Iron
Late 19th Century American Antique Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Pine
1890s American Antique Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Wood
1960s Polish Vintage Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Glass, Wood
1920s French Vintage Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Pine
Mid-20th Century Peruvian Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Wood, Ceramic
Early 19th Century French Antique Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Wood
Early 20th Century Unknown Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Softwood
2010s American Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Metal, Steel
19th Century American Antique Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Bronze
2010s American Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Metal, Steel
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Wood
1920s American Vintage Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Leather, Velvet, Plaster
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Wood
Late 20th Century Canadian Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Driftwood
20th Century Brazilian Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Crystal
Mid-20th Century Ghanaian Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Wood
1940s American Vintage Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Wood
20th Century Japanese Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Clay
19th Century Antique Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Yew
1930s Beninese Vintage Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Ebony
1970s American Vintage Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Metal
19th Century American Antique Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Wood
1860s Antique Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Oak
1970s Mexican Vintage Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Organic Material
Mid-20th Century Danish Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Iron
Early 1900s British Antique Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Pine
2010s Turkish Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Statuary Marble
Mid-20th Century Mexican Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Wood
1940s British Vintage Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Wood
1920s British Vintage Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Pine
18th Century Danish Antique Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Wrought Iron
Early 20th Century Belgian Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Wood