Folk Art Sculptures
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 Sculptures
Giltwood
2010s American Folk Art Sculptures
Steel
20th Century Congolese Folk Art Sculptures
Terracotta
19th Century French Antique Folk Art Sculptures
Textile, Wood
2010s Moroccan Folk Art Sculptures
Clay, Earthenware
20th Century American Folk Art Sculptures
Concrete
Mid-20th Century Unknown Folk Art Sculptures
Wood
20th Century Folk Art Sculptures
Wood
Mid-20th Century French Folk Art Sculptures
Metal, Iron, Sheet Metal
Late 20th Century German Folk Art Sculptures
Terracotta
1990s Cuban Folk Art Sculptures
Ceramic
19th Century British Antique Folk Art Sculptures
Wood
1890s Austrian Antique Folk Art Sculptures
Wood
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Sculptures
Bronze
1890s Austrian Antique Folk Art Sculptures
Wood
Mid-20th Century Folk Art Sculptures
Iron
16th Century Italian Antique Folk Art Sculptures
Wood
Mid-20th Century Polish Folk Art Sculptures
Willow
1970s American Vintage Folk Art Sculptures
Gold Leaf
Early 20th Century French Folk Art Sculptures
Leather
1950s Vintage Folk Art Sculptures
Art Glass
Late 19th Century European Antique Folk Art Sculptures
Brass
1880s American Antique Folk Art Sculptures
Walnut
2010s American Folk Art Sculptures
Metal, Steel
Mid-20th Century English Folk Art Sculptures
Porcelain
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Folk Art Sculptures
Pine
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Sculptures
Iron
Mid-20th Century English Folk Art Sculptures
Porcelain
Mid-20th Century German Folk Art Sculptures
Wood
2010s American Folk Art Sculptures
Metal, Steel
Late 20th Century American Folk Art Sculptures
Wood
2010s American Folk Art Sculptures
Metal, Steel
Early 1900s American Antique Folk Art Sculptures
Scrap Wood
Early 1900s Swedish Antique Folk Art Sculptures
Wood
1960s Vintage Folk Art Sculptures
Beech, Birdseye Maple
1950s Polynesian Vintage Folk Art Sculptures
Wood
2010s American Folk Art Sculptures
Metal, Steel
Mid-20th Century Mexican Folk Art Sculptures
Brass, Copper
1980s Italian Vintage Folk Art Sculptures
Wood
Late 18th Century Indian Antique Folk Art Sculptures
Wood
Mid-20th Century Mexican Folk Art Sculptures
Hardwood
1960s Vintage Folk Art Sculptures
Steel
Late 20th Century American Folk Art Sculptures
Metal
18th Century Italian Antique Folk Art Sculptures
Linen, Fruitwood
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Sculptures
Iron
1990s Unknown Folk Art Sculptures
Wool
1990s Italian Folk Art Sculptures
Wood
1930s British Vintage Folk Art Sculptures
Wood
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Sculptures
Paint, Gesso, Pine
Late 18th Century Scandinavian Antique Folk Art Sculptures
Stone, Bronze
1910s Vintage Folk Art Sculptures
Pine
Mid-20th Century Indian Folk Art Sculptures
Bronze
2010s American Folk Art Sculptures
Metal, Steel
1990s French Folk Art Sculptures
Ceramic
20th Century Thai Folk Art Sculptures
Soapstone
1950s American Vintage Folk Art Sculptures
Hardwood
1970s American Vintage Folk Art Sculptures
Iron, Wrought Iron
1980s American Vintage Folk Art Sculptures
Wood