Folk Art
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 Moroccan Folk Art
Iron
19th Century Antique Folk Art
Paper
1970s American Vintage Folk Art
Paper
1980s Vintage Folk Art
Paper
1980s Vintage Folk Art
Paper
Late 19th Century American Antique Folk Art
Wood
1930s American Vintage Folk Art
Iron
1940s Mexican Vintage Folk Art
Wood
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art
Wood
20th Century Moroccan Folk Art
Iron
1970s American Vintage Folk Art
Reclaimed Wood
1930s American Vintage Folk Art
Paint
Late 19th Century Antique Folk Art
Wood
Early 1800s Antique Folk Art
Terracotta
19th Century French Antique Folk Art
Iron
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art
Wool
Early 20th Century Indian Folk Art
Wood
Early 1900s German Antique Folk Art
Wood, Paper
Mid-19th Century English Antique Folk Art
Wool
Mid-19th Century English Antique Folk Art
Wool
Early 1800s American Antique Folk Art
Poplar, Pine
Late 18th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art
Pine
Early 1900s Swedish Antique Folk Art
Paint, Linen, Hemp, Paper, Feathers
Mid-20th Century Indonesian Folk Art
Silk, Bamboo
20th Century Moroccan Folk Art
Iron
Early 20th Century German Folk Art
Metal
1860s English Antique Folk Art
Wool
Late 19th Century American Antique Folk Art
Copper
1950s European Vintage Folk Art
Wood
Late 20th Century Folk Art
Stone
2010s American Folk Art
Steel
Mid-20th Century Ethiopian Folk Art
Hardwood
1990s Australian Folk Art
Canvas, Paint
Late 20th Century Folk Art
Iron
Early 1900s Italian Antique Folk Art
Wood
Mid-20th Century Moroccan Folk Art
Wool
Mid-19th Century Hungarian Antique Folk Art
Pine
1910s Egyptian Vintage Folk Art
Textile
1930s American Vintage Folk Art
Metal
18th Century European Antique Folk Art
Wrought Iron
1930s French Vintage Folk Art
Aluminum
20th Century American Folk Art
Wood
20th Century British Folk Art
Pine
20th Century Moroccan Folk Art
Iron
Early 20th Century American Folk Art
Wood, Paint
1970s American Vintage Folk Art
Paper
Mid-20th Century Canadian Folk Art
Wool, Burlap, Pine
Mid-20th Century German Folk Art
Metal
1850s Unknown Antique Folk Art
Paper
Early 20th Century English Folk Art
Hardwood, Elm, Oak
Early 2000s Australian Folk Art
Wood
Early 20th Century Folk Art
Paint, Paper
Early 20th Century North American Folk Art
Steel
1940s American Vintage Folk Art
Wood
Early 20th Century American Folk Art
Wood
Late 20th Century American Folk Art
Pottery, Paint
Early 20th Century French Folk Art
Zinc
1890s French Antique Folk Art
Wood