Folk Art Drawings
FOLK ART STYLE
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.
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Style: Folk Art
Passport Saul Steinberg Published by Harper & Brothers, New York., 1979
Located in North Hollywood, CA
350 drawings made during the artist's travels, in his usual satirical and witty style.Presentation copy from the artist, inscribed on the half-title page: ''Pour Ga' Jean & Pegeen , ...
Category
20th Century North American Folk Art Drawings
Materials
Paper
1976 Mexican Ricardo H. Salazar Pencil Drawing/Paper, Hidalgo, MX
Located in Miami, FL
1976 Mexican Ricardo H. Salazar Pencil Drawing/Paper, Hidalgo, MX
Offered for sale is an intricately and masterfully drawn realistic pencil drawing of a Mexican woman in the city of...
Category
Late 20th Century Mexican Folk Art Drawings
Materials
Wire
Collection of Mexican Prayer Plaques "Retablos Ex-Votos" from 1950s and 1960s
Located in North Miami, FL
This is an amazing and important collection of 8 plaques (7 tin metal and one in wood) that have been hand painted by Catholic religious devotees in gratitude to either Christ, Virgi...
Category
1950s Mexican Vintage Folk Art Drawings
Materials
Tin
American Miniature Folk Art Portrait Of a Young Gentleman
Located in Hudson, NY
Stunning little american folkhart water color of a young gentleman. Sitting with his arm over the back of what appears to be a tiger maple chair of the period. In the lower right corner we can see what is a tiger maple table...
Category
Early 19th Century American Antique Folk Art Drawings
Materials
Wood, Paper, Paint
French School Teacher Educational Paintings "La Pipe", circa 1930s
Located in Santa Monica, CA
Painted by a school teacher in rural Hautes Pyrenees, France. Based on the Toto, Lili, Rene and Jojo French educational stories. It is likely that the s...
Category
1930s French Vintage Folk Art Drawings
Materials
Paper, Watercolor
Pastel Portrait of a Woman with Dark Hair and Purple Top, 1960s - Signed
Located in Oklahoma City, OK
Portrait of a woman with dark hair on paper. Drawn using pastel chalk, the subject of this piece is a woman with a bouffant with short dark brown hair gazing at the artist. She wears a high neck purple top...
Category
20th Century American Folk Art Drawings
Materials
Paint, Paper
Francisco Zúñiga Charcoal and Pastel Drawing on Paper, 1964
Located in Miami, FL
Francisco Zúñiga Charcoal and Pastel Drawing on Paper, 1964
Offered for sale is an original charcoal drawing with pastels by the well listed Costa Rican/Mexican artist Francisco Zúñ...
Category
Mid-20th Century Mexican Folk Art Drawings
Materials
Glass, Wood, Paper
19th Century Gouache Painting of a Copenhagen Windmill, Denmark
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Danish 19th Century Watercoloring Painting of a Windmill in a Period Gilt Wood Frame, Copenhagen circa 1850.
Signed on the rear, E. L. for EdwardLehman.
Also handwritten in Danish o...
Category
Mid-19th Century Danish Antique Folk Art Drawings
Materials
Wood, Paper
Pencil Drawing of a Collie Dog on Paper and Framed in Wood Frame Signed - 1940
Located in Oklahoma City, OK
A framed drawing of a dog on paper. This piece depicts the bust of a Collie in brown pencil. The piece is on brown or yellow paper and framed in the original wood frame with glass. T...
Category
1940s American Vintage Folk Art Drawings
Materials
Wood, Paper
Francis De Erdely Watercolor and Pencil "Mexican Shark Fisherman"
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Francis De Erdely (Hungarian/American, 1904-1959) “Mexican Shark Fishermen” water color and Pencil on Paper within a pine frame and protective glass, circa 1930.
Signed: ‘De Erdely’...
Category
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Drawings
Materials
Glass, Pine, Paper
Portrait Miniature In Graphite American 19th Century
Located in Hudson, NY
This is a very beautiful , highly detailed and well executed portrait of a woman. Created in the early nineteenth century with graphite on paper. The sitter can be seen with a book in her hand and a ring on her finger. She is sitting in a painted fancy chair by the window with the drape pulled back...
Category
Early 19th Century American Antique Folk Art Drawings
Materials
Wood, Paper
Pablo Picasso Portrait 1970's Charcoal Drawing
Located in Vancouver, BC
An interesting charcoal portrait of Picasso from the year of his death, presumably on the day of his passing - a sort of framed obituary of the famous Catalan painter.
There is inf...
Category
1970s British Vintage Folk Art Drawings
Materials
Paper
Robert Taylor Original Handrawing Portrait by Mármol, Spain, 1939
Located in Madrid, ES
John Barrymore portrait handrawed by Mármol in 1939.
Ink on paper with wooden framed.
Category
1930s Spanish Vintage Folk Art Drawings
Materials
Glass, Wood, Paint, Paper
Related Items
Early 19th Century Oil Portrait of a Handsome Young Man
Located in San Francisco, CA
Early 19th century oil portrait of a handsome young man
An original painting of a young man wearing his best suit of clothes.
Original oil on ...
Category
Early 19th Century American Antique Folk Art Drawings
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Canvas
German Folk Art Naïve Military Painting, circa 1870
Located in London, GB
A wonderful example of a circa 1870 German Folk Art naïve military scene in townscape annotated to celebrate a soldier. In ceremonial regalia in watercolou...
Category
1870s German Antique Folk Art Drawings
Materials
Paper
1950s Abstract Figural Portrait by Josef Presser
By Josef Presser 1
Located in New York, NY
Bright, vivid and quite fabulous abstract by Polish American artist Josef Presser (1909-1967), circa 1950s. Known for his figural work this is a beautifully executed portrait of two ...
Category
1950s American Vintage Folk Art Drawings
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19th Century American Folk Art Oil Painting Landscape Sailboats On River
Located in Stamford, CT
A 19th century American folk art oil painting on canvas depicting a river scene at dawn with a horse and rider on a bridge over a waterf...
Category
Mid-19th Century American Antique Folk Art Drawings
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19th c. Mexican Retablo "Veronica's Veil" c.1880
Located in San Francisco, CA
ABOUT
An original 19th century Mexican folk retablo "Veronica's Veil" or "El Divono Rostro" in Spain . Oil paint on tin.
The Veil of Veronica, known in Italian as the Volto Santo or Holy Face, is a Roman Catholic Relic which, according to legend, bears the likeness of the Face of Jesus that was imprinted on it prior to Jesus' crucifixion. According to Roman Catholicism, Saint Veronica encountered Jesus in Jeruselum on the way to Calvary. When she paused to wipe the sweat (Latin, suda) off his face with her veil, his image was left on the veil.
In the small village of Osa de la Vega in Spain, there lived a couple who led a very pious life. They were Gregorio de la Torre and Isabel Corral. From their father, Juan Montilla, they inherited a picture of the Face of Jesus or the Divino Rostro. A story that is told one day, to the amazement of many who confirmed its veracity, the picture began to perspire with living blood. News of this extraordinary event spread swiftly and widely throughout the land.
CREATOR Unknown.
DATE OF MANUFACTURE c.1880.
MATERIALS AND TECHNIQUES Oil Paint on Tin.
CONDITION Good. Wear consistent with age and use.
DIMENSIONS H 14 in. W 10 in.
HISTORY
Retablos, better known as 'laminas' in Mexico, are small oil paintings on tin, wood and sometimes copper which were used in home altars to venerate the almost infinite number of Catholic saints. The literal translation for 'retablo' is 'behind the altar.' This unique genre of art, deeply rooted in European history, was brought to Mexico with the arrival of the Spanish and then ultimately adopted by New World mestizo natives to become what is known today as the Mexican folk retablo.
The retablo was an art form that flourished in post conquest Mexico and then ultimately, with the introduction of inexpensive mediums such as tin, reached its pinnacle of popularity in the last quarter of the 19th century. With some exceptions, mostly untrained artists from the provinces worked to produce and reproduce these sacred images; some subjects painted more prolifically than others. A typical "retablero" may have reproduced the same image hundreds, if not thousands of times in his or her career.
These oil paintings were sold to devout believers who displayed them in home altars to honor their patron saints. There are virtually hundreds of saints, each invoked to remedy a different situation. "San Ysidro Labrador," the patron saint of farmers, is venerated for good weather...
Category
19th Century Mexican Antique Folk Art Drawings
Materials
Tin
Selection of Black and White Nude Artwork
Located in Atlanta, GA
Selection of black and white nude artwork from various artists, American, circa 1950s. From left to right, as seen in the first photo, they are:
1) The k...
Category
1950s American Vintage Folk Art Drawings
Materials
Paper, Wood
Set of 6 19th Century McKenney and Hall Portraits of Native Americans
Located in Richmond, VA
Set of 6 19th century McKenney and Hall portraits of Native Americans. Hand colored lithographs from: The history of the Indian tribes of North Ameri...
Category
19th Century American Antique Folk Art Drawings
Materials
Paper
Selection of 1930s Academic Study Drawings of Male Nudes
Located in Atlanta, GA
Selection of 1930's Academic Study Drawings of Male Nudes, hand drawn by Carl De Zeeuw, American, circa 1930's. The price noted below is for EACH dra...
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1930s American Vintage Folk Art Drawings
Materials
Paper
Selection of 1930s Academic Study Drawings of Male Nudes
Located in Atlanta, GA
Selection of 1930's Academic Study Drawings of Male Nudes, hand drawn by Carl De Zeeuw, American, circa 1930's. The price noted below is for EACH dra...
Category
1930s American Vintage Folk Art Drawings
Materials
Paper
19th Century Folk Art Painting of a Gentleman Attributed to Horace Bundy
Located in Wiscasset, ME
Oil on canvas, inscribed on the stretcher bar reverse.
The painting is presented in a flat black frame that complements it well.
Horace Bundy was an it...
Category
1830s American Antique Folk Art Drawings
Materials
Canvas, Paint
Emilio Terry 1930s "Louis XVII Style" Bed
By Emilio Terry
Located in New York, NY
Emilio Terry -- architect, interior, and furniture designer -- was the inventor and sole-practitioner of what was drolly referred to as his “Louis XVII style...
Category
1930s French Vintage Folk Art Drawings
Materials
Paper
Robert Motherwell Ink on Paper, 1976
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Robert Motherwell, Untiled, Ink on Paper, 1976
Robert Motherwell (American, 1915-1991)
Ink on handmade paper 11 inches high x 16 inches wide
This work is framed in an Italian gil...
Category
20th Century American Folk Art Drawings
Materials
Glass, Giltwood, Paper
Previously Available Items
Memento Mori American 19th Century
Located in Hudson, NY
Rare American folk-art Memento Mori of Hiram Aluro Hill, died age 11, 1845.
Good penmanship, watercolor and albumin glaze with borders intact. Foster brothers of Boston frame.
This was purchased from...
Category
Early 19th Century American Antique Folk Art Drawings
Materials
Wood, Paper
Antique Pennsylvania Dutch Hand Painted Fraktur Early 19thC
Located in Big Flats, NY
Antique Pennsylvania Dutch Hand Painted Fraktur Early 19thC.
Measures - 9.25"H x 7.25"W x .75"D.
Category
19th Century American Antique Folk Art Drawings
Materials
Paper
Jakob Steinhardt "19/30" Judaica Woodcut
Located in Astoria, NY
Jakob Steinhardt (German- Israeli, 1887-1968), "19/30," woodblock on paper, depicting a group of Jewish men holding the Torah scroll, edition 21/89, 1938, signed lower right in penci...
Category
Early 20th Century Folk Art Drawings
Materials
Wood
Framed Naive American Flag Collage
Located in Chicago, IL
A wonderfully whimsical and delightful 20th century American flag collage composed with a red, white, and blue flag colored with crayon on paper, cut out and applied to more paper. T...
Category
20th Century American Folk Art Drawings
Materials
Paper, Crayon
The Naked Lady by Adrien Barrere, circa 1905
Located in London, GB
The Naked Lady by Adrien Barrere, circa 1905
This lot is a rare set of original lithographs prints by Adrien Barrere entitled (The Naked Lady) These Li...
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Early 1900s Italian Antique Folk Art Drawings
Materials
Paper
"Fueling the Fighter" WWII Charcoal Drawing Vought F4U Corsair
Located in Wiscasset, ME
US Naval and Marines documentary drawing from WWII of a Vought F4U Corsair fighter plane being refueled with the pilot in preparations. Title partially cut...
Category
1940s American Vintage Folk Art Drawings
Materials
Paper
Nantucket Chart Map
Located in Nantucket, MA
Set of two U.S. geological survey topographical chart maps, one of Nantucket, the other Muskeget & Tuckernuck, circa 1890.
Professionally framed. Measures: 35” x 45”.
Category
Late 19th Century North American Antique Folk Art Drawings
Materials
Paper
Vintage Map of Nantucket
Located in Nantucket, MA
Hand colored map of Nantucket Island, decorated with small illustrations of clipper ships, a spouting whale, a compass rose and simple cartography, s...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Drawings
Fred Johnson-O Henry Tent & Awning Circus Banner "Natures Living Tripod"
By O. Henry Tent and Awning Co.
Located in Queens, NY
American painted side show circus banner of a man photographing a three legged sheep titled "Natures Living Tripod" (att: Fred Johnson-O Henry Tent & Awni...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Drawings
Materials
Fabric
Wonderful Signed 19th Century Pen and Ink of a Dog, Signed Marion Harrier
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Fantastic signed 19th century pen and ink drawing of a dog in a newly black painted frame with a light red inner paint on frame. The ...
Category
19th Century American Antique Folk Art Drawings
Materials
Canvas
Folk Art drawings for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a broad range of unique folk art drawings for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the Late 20th Century, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage drawings created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include wall decorations, folk art, more furniture and collectibles and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with paper, wood and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Folk Art drawings made in a specific country, there are North America, Europe, and United States pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original drawings, popular names associated with this style include Eduardo Abela (1892-1965), Francis De Erdely, and Saul Steinberg. It’s true that these talented designers have at times inspired knockoffs, but our experienced specialists have partnered with only top vetted sellers to offer authentic pieces that come with a buyer protection guarantee. Prices for drawings differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $95 and tops out at $12,500 while the average work can sell for $1,288.