Folk Art Paintings
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 American Antique Folk Art Paintings
Other
19th Century Antique Folk Art Paintings
Paint, Paper
Early 20th Century Korean Folk Art Paintings
Textile, Brocade
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Paintings
Paper
20th Century Italian Folk Art Paintings
Paper
Late 19th Century Korean Antique Folk Art Paintings
Brocade, Silk, Wood
Early 2000s American Folk Art Paintings
Canvas, Paint
1880s American Antique Folk Art Paintings
Paint, Paper
1920s Chinese Vintage Folk Art Paintings
Paper
1920s Chinese Vintage Folk Art Paintings
Paper
1950s Mexican Vintage Folk Art Paintings
Tin
Early 20th Century Folk Art Paintings
Paint
1990s Mexican Folk Art Paintings
Acrylic
Early 2000s American Folk Art Paintings
Canvas, Paint
20th Century Cuban Folk Art Paintings
Paper
Late 19th Century Korean Antique Folk Art Paintings
Brocade, Silk, Wood
1980s Indonesian Vintage Folk Art Paintings
Glass, Wood
1980s North American Vintage Folk Art Paintings
Canvas
1930s Korean Vintage Folk Art Paintings
Paper
19th Century Mexican Antique Folk Art Paintings
Tin
20th Century Haitian Folk Art Paintings
Paint
Late 20th Century French Folk Art Paintings
Plywood, Paint
1920s Chinese Vintage Folk Art Paintings
Paper
1980s Vintage Folk Art Paintings
Metal, Sheet Metal
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Paintings
Canvas
Late 20th Century French Folk Art Paintings
Plywood, Paint
19th Century American Antique Folk Art Paintings
Maple, Paper
1970s American Vintage Folk Art Paintings
Paint
1930s American Vintage Folk Art Paintings
Paint
Late 20th Century American Folk Art Paintings
Canvas, Wood
19th Century Mexican Antique Folk Art Paintings
Tin
20th Century Belgian Folk Art Paintings
Paper
Early 20th Century Balinese Folk Art Paintings
Cotton, Paint
19th Century Mexican Antique Folk Art Paintings
Tin
1990s Mexican Folk Art Paintings
Paper
19th Century Mexican Antique Folk Art Paintings
Tin
20th Century American Folk Art Paintings
Paper
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Paintings
Masonite, Paint
Early 1900s Austrian Antique Folk Art Paintings
Canvas, Giltwood
Mid-20th Century Balinese Folk Art Paintings
Silk
1840s English Antique Folk Art Paintings
Canvas, Oak
1950s Mexican Vintage Folk Art Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
Mid-20th Century Balinese Folk Art Paintings
Silk
1830s American Antique Folk Art Paintings
Canvas, Paint
Late 19th Century American Antique Folk Art Paintings
Canvas, Paint
1990s American Folk Art Paintings
Plywood
Mid-20th Century Ethiopian Folk Art Paintings
Canvas
Late 19th Century Korean Antique Folk Art Paintings
Wood, Brocade, Silk
1990s French Folk Art Paintings
Canvas, Wood
1960s Mexican Vintage Folk Art Paintings
Acrylic
Late 20th Century Venezuelan Folk Art Paintings
Canvas, Paint
1980s American Vintage Folk Art Paintings
Acrylic
1950s French Vintage Folk Art Paintings
Canvas
1950s Faeroese Vintage Folk Art Paintings
Paint
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Paintings
Textile, Paint
20th Century English Folk Art Paintings
Paint
Early 19th Century Danish Antique Folk Art Paintings
Canvas, Wood
1960s Mexican Vintage Folk Art Paintings
Acrylic, Wood