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.
Mid-20th Century German Folk Art
Wood
Early 1900s Unknown Antique Folk Art
Brass
Late 20th Century American Folk Art
Cedar
1960s Swedish Vintage Folk Art
Wood
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art
Terracotta
1990s American Folk Art
Wood, Paint, Paper
1930s Swedish Vintage Folk Art
Paper
Early 20th Century American Folk Art
Leather, Wood
1810s German Antique Folk Art
Pine
Late 20th Century Canadian Folk Art
Pine, Paint
Mid-20th Century Mexican Folk Art
Ceramic, Pottery
1910s European Vintage Folk Art
Pine
Mid-20th Century South African Folk Art
Wood, Fabric, Cotton
20th Century Indian Folk Art
Hardwood
Mid-20th Century Italian Folk Art
Paint
2010s Mexican Folk Art
Clay, Ceramic
Late 19th Century British Antique Folk Art
Mirror, Pine, Paint
2010s North American Folk Art
Ceramic
1880s Unknown Antique Folk Art
Horn
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art
Wood
Early 20th Century Folk Art
Wood
1820s Unknown Antique Folk Art
Bone
Mid-20th Century French Folk Art
Metal, Chrome
Mid-20th Century Canadian Folk Art
Ceramic
Early 20th Century American Folk Art
Wood
20th Century English Folk Art
Wood
Mid-20th Century South African Folk Art
Metal, Iron
Early 19th Century American Antique Folk Art
Wood, Paper
Mid-20th Century African Folk Art
Bronze
1960s American Vintage Folk Art
Brass
1940s American Vintage Folk Art
Wood, Paint
Late 18th Century American Antique Folk Art
Pine, Paint
Mid-20th Century Danish Folk Art
Iron
Mid-20th Century Slovenian Folk Art
Paint
1960s German Vintage Folk Art
Wood
Early 20th Century Swedish Folk Art
Pine, Paint
Early 20th Century French Folk Art
Mirror, Wood
Late 20th Century American Folk Art
Metal
Late 20th Century Mexican Folk Art
Ceramic, Paint
2010s Mexican Folk Art
Ceramic, Clay
Mid-20th Century Slovenian Folk Art
Paint
Early 19th Century German Antique Folk Art
Metal
Early 20th Century French Folk Art
Shell, Glass, Wood
Early 20th Century Indian Folk Art
Metal, Silver Plate
2010s North American Folk Art
Ceramic
20th Century English Folk Art
Wood
Mid-20th Century Belgian Folk Art
Wood
Late 20th Century American Folk Art
Gold Leaf
Late 18th Century American Antique Folk Art
Wood
19th Century Antique Folk Art
Tin
1980s Mexican Vintage Folk Art
Glass, Paint, Paper
Early 20th Century American Folk Art
Wood, Paint
Early 20th Century American Folk Art
Wood, Paint
1970s Swedish Vintage Folk Art
Wood, Paint
1920s French Vintage Folk Art
Zinc
1920s British Vintage Folk Art
Paper
Mid-20th Century Folk Art
Wood, Pine
1910s Austrian Vintage Folk Art
Wood