Arts and Crafts Folk Art
Emerging in reaction to industrialization and mass production, the Arts and Crafts movement celebrated handcrafted design as a part of daily life. The history of Arts and Crafts furniture has roots in 1860s England with an emphasis on natural motifs and simple flourishes like mosaics and carvings. This work is characterized by plain construction that showcases the hand of the artisan.
The earliest American Arts and Crafts furniture dates back to the start of the 20th century. Designers working in this style in the United States initially looked to ideas put forth by The Craftsman, a magazine published by Wisconsin native Gustav Stickley, a furniture maker and founder of the Craftsman style. Stickley’s furniture was practical and largely free of ornament. His Craftsman style drew on French Art Nouveau as well as the work he encountered on his travels in England. There, the leading designers of the Arts and Crafts movement included William Morris, who revived historical techniques such as embroidery and printed fabrics in his furnishings, and Charles Voysey, whose minimal approach was in contrast to the ornamentation favored in the Victorian era.
American Arts and Crafts work would come to involve a range of influences unified by an elevation of traditional craftsmanship. The furniture was often built from sturdy woods like oak and mahogany while featuring details such as inlaid metal, tooled leather and ceramic tiles. The style in the United States was led by Stickley, whose clean-lined chairs and benches showcased the grain of the wood, and furniture maker Charles Rohlfs, who was informed by international influences like East Asian and French Art Nouveau design.
Hubs in America included several utopian communities such as Rose Valley in Pennsylvania and the Byrdcliffe Arts and Crafts Colony in New York, where craftspeople made furniture that prioritized function over any decoration. Their work would influence designers and architects including Frank Lloyd Wright, who built some of the most elegant and iconic structures in the United States and likewise embraced a thoughtful use of materials in his furniture.
Find antique Arts and Crafts chairs, tables, cabinets and other authentic period furniture on 1stDibs.
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Folk Art
Wood
2010s Belgian Arts and Crafts Folk Art
Canvas, Paper
2010s Belgian Arts and Crafts Folk Art
Canvas, Paper
2010s Belgian Arts and Crafts Folk Art
Canvas
2010s Mexican Arts and Crafts Folk Art
Leather
2010s Belgian Arts and Crafts Folk Art
Canvas
2010s Belgian Arts and Crafts Folk Art
Canvas
Late 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Folk Art
Paper
1890s English Antique Arts and Crafts Folk Art
Pottery
1950s European Vintage Arts and Crafts Folk Art
Ceramic
Mid-19th Century Japanese Antique Arts and Crafts Folk Art
Stone, Lava
Early 1900s Antique Arts and Crafts Folk Art
Beech
Early 1900s English Antique Arts and Crafts Folk Art
Oak
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Folk Art
Leather, Wood, Paint
1920s Swedish Vintage Arts and Crafts Folk Art
Wool
1960s Vintage Arts and Crafts Folk Art
Teak
Mid-20th Century German Arts and Crafts Folk Art
Wood
Mid-20th Century German Arts and Crafts Folk Art
Wood
Late 19th Century American Antique Arts and Crafts Folk Art
Wood
Mid-20th Century German Arts and Crafts Folk Art
Wood
2010s Indonesian Arts and Crafts Folk Art
Teak
Mid-20th Century American Arts and Crafts Folk Art
Porcelain, Wood
Early 20th Century French Arts and Crafts Folk Art
Oak
19th Century Antique Arts and Crafts Folk Art
Paper
Early 20th Century French Arts and Crafts Folk Art
Oak
Early 20th Century French Arts and Crafts Folk Art
Oak
15th Century and Earlier Italian Antique Arts and Crafts Folk Art
Wood, Paint
1950s European Vintage Arts and Crafts Folk Art
Ceramic
Late 20th Century Malian Arts and Crafts Folk Art
Wood
Early 1900s Scottish Antique Arts and Crafts Folk Art
Brass
Early 1900s English Antique Arts and Crafts Folk Art
Copper
21st Century and Contemporary Turkish Arts and Crafts Folk Art
Wool, Natural Fiber, Organic Material
Early 20th Century Arts and Crafts Folk Art
Beech
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Folk Art
Metal, Brass, Copper, Iron, Sheet Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Turkish Arts and Crafts Folk Art
Wood
Early 20th Century French Arts and Crafts Folk Art
Wood
Early 1900s English Antique Arts and Crafts Folk Art
Copper
19th Century European Antique Arts and Crafts Folk Art
Sycamore
Mid-20th Century American Arts and Crafts Folk Art
Hardwood
19th Century European Antique Arts and Crafts Folk Art
Sycamore
Early 20th Century English Arts and Crafts Folk Art
Pottery
19th Century European Antique Arts and Crafts Folk Art
Sycamore
Early 1900s Austrian Antique Arts and Crafts Folk Art
Brass
2010s Belgian Arts and Crafts Folk Art
Canvas, Glass
2010s Belgian Arts and Crafts Folk Art
Canvas
2010s Belgian Arts and Crafts Folk Art
Canvas, Paper
2010s Belgian Arts and Crafts Folk Art
Canvas, Paper
1990s Arts and Crafts Folk Art
Paper
20th Century Turkish Arts and Crafts Folk Art
Wood
Mid-20th Century American Arts and Crafts Folk Art
Wood, Paint
15th Century and Earlier Turkish Antique Arts and Crafts Folk Art
Wood
18th Century Turkish Antique Arts and Crafts Folk Art
Wood
17th Century Turkish Antique Arts and Crafts Folk Art
Wood
17th Century Turkish Antique Arts and Crafts Folk Art
Wood
1890s British Antique Arts and Crafts Folk Art
Copper
Early 1900s British Antique Arts and Crafts Folk Art
Copper
15th Century and Earlier Turkish Antique Arts and Crafts Folk Art
Wood
1930s American Vintage Arts and Crafts Folk Art
Wrought Iron