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.
Early 20th Century Swedish Folk Art Sculptures
Oak, Paint
Late 20th Century Folk Art Sculptures
Ceramic, Pottery
21st Century and Contemporary Cameroonian Folk Art Sculptures
Clay, Beads
Mid-20th Century Moroccan Folk Art Sculptures
Limestone, Sandstone, Marble
Late 20th Century Folk Art Sculptures
Stone
1990s Italian Folk Art Sculptures
Wood
19th Century Haitian Antique Folk Art Sculptures
Hardwood, Ebony
Late 19th Century Scandinavian Antique Folk Art Sculptures
Wood, Paint
1970s Haitian Vintage Folk Art Sculptures
Steel
20th Century American Folk Art Sculptures
Wood
1890s Swedish Antique Folk Art Sculptures
Leather, Wood
2010s American Folk Art Sculptures
Metal, Steel
Early 1900s Portuguese Antique Folk Art Sculptures
Majolica, Pottery
20th Century American Folk Art Sculptures
Wood
Early 1900s Scandinavian Antique Folk Art Sculptures
Wood
17th Century French Antique Folk Art Sculptures
Brass
20th Century Mexican Folk Art Sculptures
Textile, Wood, Paper
Mid-20th Century Folk Art Sculptures
Blown Glass, Art Glass
1980s Chinese Vintage Folk Art Sculptures
Metal
19th Century American Antique Folk Art Sculptures
Wood
1920s Belgian Vintage Folk Art Sculptures
Oak
2010s Moroccan Folk Art Sculptures
Clay, Earthenware
Mid-20th Century Mexican Folk Art Sculptures
Ceramic, Pottery
Late 19th Century European Antique Folk Art Sculptures
Brass
Mid-20th Century Thai Folk Art Sculptures
Fabric, Wood
16th Century Burmese Antique Folk Art Sculptures
Sandstone
Mid-20th Century Dutch Folk Art Sculptures
Hardwood
20th Century African Folk Art Sculptures
Wood, Hardwood
18th Century Indian Antique Folk Art Sculptures
Wood
1970s African Vintage Folk Art Sculptures
Wood
2010s American Folk Art Sculptures
Metal, Steel
Early 20th Century East Asian Folk Art Sculptures
Wood
2010s American Folk Art Sculptures
Metal, Steel
Mid-20th Century Danish Folk Art Sculptures
Iron
Mid-20th Century Unknown Folk Art Sculptures
Wood
20th Century Unknown Folk Art Sculptures
Ceramic
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Sculptures
Metal
20th Century Central African Folk Art Sculptures
Leather, Glass, Paint, Paper
1910s French Vintage Folk Art Sculptures
Pottery
1880s American Antique Folk Art Sculptures
Copper, Iron, Zinc
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Sculptures
Iron
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Sculptures
Bronze, Copper
2010s American Folk Art Sculptures
Steel
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Sculptures
Wood
19th Century French Antique Folk Art Sculptures
Copper, Iron
19th Century German Antique Folk Art Sculptures
Wrought Iron
Mid-20th Century Mexican Folk Art Sculptures
Ceramic
20th Century American Folk Art Sculptures
Early 20th Century Italian Folk Art Sculptures
Metal
Early 20th Century Swiss Folk Art Sculptures
Metal, Iron
20th Century American Folk Art Sculptures
Wood
Early 20th Century Moroccan Folk Art Sculptures
Brass
1880s American Antique Folk Art Sculptures
Copper, Iron
1890s American Antique Folk Art Sculptures
Wood, Giltwood, Paint
20th Century Folk Art Sculptures
Wood
19th Century American Antique Folk Art Sculptures
Wood
1920s British Vintage Folk Art Sculptures
Wood
20th Century American Folk Art Sculptures
Shell