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 Italian Antique Folk Art Paintings
Glass, Wood
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Paintings
Canvas
19th Century American Antique Folk Art Paintings
Maple, Paper
Mid-19th Century English Antique Folk Art Paintings
Maple, Paper
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Paintings
Fabric
Mid-19th Century Maltese Antique Folk Art Paintings
Paint
18th Century and Earlier American Antique Folk Art Paintings
Canvas
1980s Balinese Vintage Folk Art Paintings
Canvas
20th Century Folk Art Paintings
Paint
19th Century American Antique Folk Art Paintings
Canvas
Mid-20th Century Folk Art Paintings
Paint
1960s American Vintage Folk Art Paintings
Paint
18th Century Belgian Antique Folk Art Paintings
Copper
1890s British Antique Folk Art Paintings
Glass, Wood, Paint
1960s Danish Vintage Folk Art Paintings
Canvas
19th Century American Antique Folk Art Paintings
Paper
Early 20th Century Italian Folk Art Paintings
Paint
1990s American Folk Art Paintings
Plywood
Late 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Paintings
Canvas, Wood
Mid-19th Century Canadian Antique Folk Art Paintings
Paint
1840s American Antique Folk Art Paintings
Other
Mid-19th Century English Antique Folk Art Paintings
1970s Australian Vintage Folk Art Paintings
Paint
Mid-18th Century Spanish Antique Folk Art Paintings
Delft
Mid-19th Century English Antique Folk Art Paintings
Paper, Watercolor
Mid-19th Century English Antique Folk Art Paintings
Silk, Wool
20th Century Haitian Folk Art Paintings
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Paintings
1920s French Vintage Folk Art Paintings
Canvas
Late 19th Century American Antique Folk Art Paintings
Wood
1960s American Vintage Folk Art Paintings
Masonite