Folk Art Textiles
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 Japanese Folk Art Textiles
Natural Fiber
Mid-20th Century Ghanaian Folk Art Textiles
Cotton
Early 20th Century Indian Folk Art Textiles
Cotton
Early 20th Century Indian Folk Art Textiles
Linen, Silk
20th Century Indian Folk Art Textiles
Cotton
Mid-20th Century Thai Folk Art Textiles
Velvet
20th Century Uzbek Folk Art Textiles
Textile
1950s English Vintage Folk Art Textiles
Wire
Early 20th Century Indian Folk Art Textiles
Fabric
1950s Indian Vintage Folk Art Textiles
Silk
Late 20th Century Turkish Folk Art Textiles
Fabric
1950s English Vintage Folk Art Textiles
Wire
Mid-20th Century Indonesian Folk Art Textiles
Cotton
1960s Turkmen Vintage Folk Art Textiles
Silk, Cotton
Mid-20th Century Turkish Folk Art Textiles
Fabric
20th Century Indian Folk Art Textiles
Fabric
20th Century Moroccan Folk Art Textiles
Wool
Early 20th Century Turkish Folk Art Textiles
Fabric
Early 20th Century Turkish Folk Art Textiles
Cotton, Silk, Velvet
Mid-20th Century Congolese Folk Art Textiles
Raffia, Cotton
Early 20th Century Moroccan Folk Art Textiles
Leather
Late 19th Century Turkish Antique Folk Art Textiles
Leather
Early 20th Century Indian Folk Art Textiles
Cotton, Silk
1990s Turkmen Folk Art Textiles
Cotton
20th Century Malian Folk Art Textiles
Cotton
Mid-20th Century Congolese Folk Art Textiles
Raffia, Cotton
Late 19th Century Turkish Antique Folk Art Textiles
Wool
Mid-19th Century Caucasian Antique Folk Art Textiles
Wool
20th Century Turkish Folk Art Textiles
Velvet
21st Century and Contemporary Uzbek Folk Art Textiles
Cotton, Silk
21st Century and Contemporary Uzbek Folk Art Textiles
Cotton, Silk
21st Century and Contemporary Uzbek Folk Art Textiles
Cotton, Silk
Mid-19th Century Indian Antique Folk Art Textiles
Acrylic
Early 20th Century Japanese Folk Art Textiles
Cotton, Linen
Early 20th Century Burmese Folk Art Textiles
Late 20th Century Uzbek Folk Art Textiles
Cotton, Silk
1970s Hungarian Vintage Folk Art Textiles
Textile, Wool
1890s Japanese Antique Folk Art Textiles
Silk
20th Century Japanese Folk Art Textiles
Cotton, Silk
21st Century and Contemporary Uzbek Folk Art Textiles
Cotton, Silk
20th Century Japanese Folk Art Textiles
Brocade, Silk
Mid-19th Century Chinese Antique Folk Art Textiles
Cotton, Silk
Early 20th Century Chinese Folk Art Textiles
Cotton, Silk
Mid-19th Century Chinese Antique Folk Art Textiles
Cotton, Silk
Mid-19th Century Chinese Antique Folk Art Textiles
Fabric, Silk
20th Century American Folk Art Textiles
Fabric
20th Century American Folk Art Textiles
Fabric
Early 20th Century Japanese Folk Art Textiles
Cotton
Mid-20th Century Uzbek Folk Art Textiles
Fabric
Mid-20th Century Japanese Folk Art Textiles
Cotton
Mid-20th Century Chinese Folk Art Textiles
Fabric, Textile
Mid-20th Century Chinese Folk Art Textiles
Linen
Mid-20th Century Turkmen Folk Art Textiles
Damask