Folk Art Masks
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.
1960s Mexican Vintage Folk Art Masks
Leather
1960s Italian Vintage Folk Art Masks
Ceramic, Pottery
20th Century Malian Folk Art Masks
Shell, Wood
1950s Ivorian Vintage Folk Art Masks
Wood
20th Century Liberian Folk Art Masks
Wood, Paint
1930s Malian Vintage Folk Art Masks
Shell, Wood
1970s Nicaraguan Vintage Folk Art Masks
Metal, Wire
Mid-20th Century Congolese Folk Art Masks
Wood, Bamboo
Mid-20th Century Congolese Folk Art Masks
Wood, Paint
1950s Mexican Vintage Folk Art Masks
Copper, Tin
1950s Mexican Vintage Folk Art Masks
Wood, Paint
Late 20th Century Folk Art Masks
Iron
1940s Mexican Vintage Folk Art Masks
Wood
1960s Mexican Vintage Folk Art Masks
Paper
1970s Mexican Vintage Folk Art Masks
Wood
20th Century Italian Folk Art Masks
Gold, Brass, Metallic Thread
1960s German Vintage Folk Art Masks
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Folk Art Masks
Metal, Metallic Thread
1950s Balinese Vintage Folk Art Masks
Wood
Early 20th Century Unknown Folk Art Masks
Softwood
Late 19th Century Japanese Antique Folk Art Masks
Bronze
1970s Mexican Vintage Folk Art Masks
Plastic, Paint
1960s Mexican Vintage Folk Art Masks
Paper
1960s Mexican Vintage Folk Art Masks
Paper
Mid-20th Century Mexican Folk Art Masks
Wood, Paint
1890s American Antique Folk Art Masks
Wood
2010s Mexican Folk Art Masks
Resin, Paint
20th Century Guatemalan Folk Art Masks
Wood, Paint
1940s Mexican Vintage Folk Art Masks
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Folk Art Masks
Ceramic
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Folk Art Masks
Ceramic
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Folk Art Masks
Ceramic
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Folk Art Masks
Ceramic
Mid-20th Century Congolese Folk Art Masks
Wood, Paint
1950s Mexican Vintage Folk Art Masks
Copper, Tin
Mid-20th Century Ivorian Folk Art Masks
Metal, Bronze
Mid-20th Century Congolese Folk Art Masks
Shell, Burlap, Wood
Mid-20th Century Papua New Guinean Folk Art Masks
Organic Material
1960s Mexican Vintage Folk Art Masks
Paper
Mid-20th Century Congolese Folk Art Masks
Copper
2010s Mexican Folk Art Masks
Resin, Paint
Mid-20th Century Mexican Folk Art Masks
Wood
1920s French Vintage Folk Art Masks
Paper
20th Century Guatemalan Folk Art Masks
Wood, Paint
20th Century Guatemalan Folk Art Masks
Wood, Paint
1940s Mexican Vintage Folk Art Masks
Wood
1920s Mexican Vintage Folk Art Masks
Pine
2010s Mexican Folk Art Masks
Bone, Natural Fiber, Wood, Paint
Mid-20th Century Mexican Folk Art Masks
Wood, Paint
1930s African Vintage Folk Art Masks
Natural Fiber
Late 20th Century American Folk Art Masks
Wood
1950s Unknown Vintage Folk Art Masks
Pine