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.
1750s German Antique Folk Art
Paint, Paper
Mid-18th Century Scandinavian Antique Folk Art
Wood
Late 18th Century Danish Antique Folk Art
Wood
18th Century Danish Antique Folk Art
Wood
Early 18th Century Danish Antique Folk Art
Wood
18th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art
Iron
Late 18th Century Italian Antique Folk Art
Wood
18th Century and Earlier American Antique Folk Art
Wood
18th Century American Antique Folk Art
Wood
Early 1700s Antique Folk Art
1760s Norwegian Antique Folk Art
Late 18th Century German Antique Folk Art
Paper
1780s American Antique Folk Art
Pine
16th Century Thai Antique Folk Art
Ceramic
1760s English Antique Folk Art
Late 18th Century English Antique Folk Art
Wood
Mid-18th Century Austrian Antique Folk Art
Fir
18th Century and Earlier American Antique Folk Art
Canvas
