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.
1950s American Vintage Folk Art Paintings
Acrylic, Paint
1950s German Vintage Folk Art Paintings
Hardwood, Fruitwood, Paint
1950s Mexican Vintage Folk Art Paintings
Tin
1950s Faeroese Vintage Folk Art Paintings
Paint
1950s French Vintage Folk Art Paintings
Canvas
1950s Mexican Vintage Folk Art Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
1950s British Vintage Folk Art Paintings
Canvas
1950s American Vintage Folk Art Paintings
Paint
1950s Finnish Vintage Folk Art Paintings
Wood
Early 2000s American Folk Art Paintings
Paper
1920s Swedish Vintage Folk Art Paintings
Canvas, Wood
1940s American Vintage Folk Art Paintings
Wood, Paint
1840s French Antique Folk Art Paintings
Paint
1950s American Vintage Folk Art Paintings
Paper, Wood
20th Century American Folk Art Paintings
Linen, Wood, Paint
1890s Austrian Antique Folk Art Paintings
Porcelain
19th Century American Antique Folk Art Paintings
Paper
Mid-20th Century Folk Art Paintings
Canvas, Paint
Early 20th Century Italian Folk Art Paintings
Paint
2010s American Folk Art Paintings
Paint
1910s Italian Vintage Folk Art Paintings
1950s Balinese Vintage Folk Art Paintings
Cotton, Paint
1950s Belgian Vintage Folk Art Paintings
Canvas, Giltwood, Paint
1950s Haitian Vintage Folk Art Paintings
Paint
1950s Vintage Folk Art Paintings
Paint
1950s Haitian Vintage Folk Art Paintings
Masonite, Paint
1950s Danish Vintage Folk Art Paintings
Paint
1950s British Vintage Folk Art Paintings
Canvas
1950s French Vintage Folk Art Paintings
Paint
1950s American Vintage Folk Art Paintings
Paint
1950s American Vintage Folk Art Paintings
Wood
1950s American Vintage Folk Art Paintings
Masonite
1950s Vintage Folk Art Paintings
Other