Most Famous

The Most Famous Artworks of American Folk Art

The 60 most celebrated works of the American Folk Art movement, ranked by renown across 1,414 works in the catalog.

A note on the ranking: "fame" here is a measure of renown, not of merit — synthesised from how widely a work is cited and held. It leans toward the Western canon and the best-digitised collections. Read it as a popular index, not a verdict.

  1. Mrs. Noah Smith and Her Children
  2. New York Harbor with Pilot Boat "George Washington"
  3. Packet Ship Passing Castle Williams, New York Harbor
  4. The Constitution and the Guerriere
    The Constitution and the Guerriere Thomas Chambers · 1845
  5. Emma Homan
    Emma Homan John Bradley · 1844
  6. Lake George and the Village of Caldwell
    Lake George and the Village of Caldwell Thomas Chambers · 1854
  7. James Badger
    James Badger Joseph Badger · 1760
  8. Mount Auburn Cemetery
    Mount Auburn Cemetery Thomas Chambers · 1850
  9. Conversation Piece
    Conversation Piece Lilly Martin Spencer · 1852
  10. Mrs. Mayer and Daughter
    Mrs. Mayer and Daughter Ammi Phillips · 1838
  11. The Power of Music
    The Power of Music William Sidney Mount · 1847
  12. Watson Van Benthuysen II and Thomas Van Benthuysen
  13. Molly Wales Fobes
    Molly Wales Fobes Rufus Hathaway · 1790
  14. Mrs. Abijah Cheever (Elizabeth Scott)
    Mrs. Abijah Cheever (Elizabeth Scott) Nathaniel Hancock · 1795
  15. The Starbird Children
    The Starbird Children Mrs. Moses B. Russell · 1841
  16. Paul Joseph Revere
    Paul Joseph Revere Margaret Bogardus · 1840
  17. Beauty Revealed
    Beauty Revealed Sarah Goodridge · 1828
  18. Mrs. Cephas Thompson (Olivia Leonard)
    Mrs. Cephas Thompson (Olivia Leonard) Cephas Thompson · 1815
  19. Sally Sanford Perit
    Sally Sanford Perit Reuben Moulthrop · 1790
  20. Mrs. A. Otis
    Mrs. A. Otis Unknown · 1835
  21. Self portrait
    Self portrait Louisa Catherine Strobel · 1830
  22. Mrs. Joseph Cooper (Mary Justice)
    Mrs. Joseph Cooper (Mary Justice) James Peale · 1797
  23. Mrs. William Gordon Ver Planck and Her Son Samuel Hopkins Ver Planck
  24. The Family of John Q. Aymar
    The Family of John Q. Aymar George W. Twibill Jr. · 1833
  25. Mrs. Nathaniel Chapman (Rebekah Biddle)
  26. Mrs. John McAllister (Frances Wardale)
  27. Strawberries and Cream
    Strawberries and Cream Raphaelle Peale · 1816
  28. Summer Flowers
    Summer Flowers Jerome Thompson · 1859
  29. The Falls of Niagara
    The Falls of Niagara Edward Hicks · 1825
  30. Trappers
    Trappers Jonathan K. Trego · 1855
  31. Mrs. Jacob Gerard Koch (Jane Griffith)
    Mrs. Jacob Gerard Koch (Jane Griffith) Louisa Catherine Strobel · 1830
  32. Mary R. Whitlock
    Mary R. Whitlock Aramenta Dianthe Vail · 1843
  33. Portrait of a Lady
    Portrait of a Lady Lawrence Sully · 1795
  34. Mrs. Jonathan Pinkney, Jr. (Elizabeth Munroe)
  35. Portrait of a Lady
    Portrait of a Lady Robert Field · 1800
  36. Memorial painting
    Memorial painting Sally Miller · 1811
  37. Mrs. Thomas Brewster Coolidge
    Mrs. Thomas Brewster Coolidge Chester Harding · 1827
  38. Hot Corn Seller
    Hot Corn Seller William P. Chappel · 1874
  39. Firemen's Washing Day
    Firemen's Washing Day William P. Chappel · 1874
  40. The Strawberry Girl
    The Strawberry Girl Ammi Phillips · 1830
  41. Dr. Francis Kinloch Huger
    Dr. Francis Kinloch Huger Charles Fraser · 1825
  42. Peaceable Kingdom
    Peaceable Kingdom Edward Hicks · 1831
  43. Black Hawk
    Black Hawk Unknown · 1850
  44. John Haviland
    John Haviland John Neagle · 1828
  45. Mrs. Daniel Strobel Jr. (Anna Church)
    Mrs. Daniel Strobel Jr. (Anna Church) Louisa Catherine Strobel · 1830
  46. Portrait of a Lady
    Portrait of a Lady Sarah Goodridge · 1820
  47. Mrs. Warren Rogers (Julie Francoise Gabrielle d'Anterroches)
  48. Lobster Fishermen
    Lobster Fishermen Marsden Hartley · 1940
  49. Portrait of a Boy
    Portrait of a Boy Miss Leland · 1840
  50. Mrs. John Adams Conant
    Mrs. John Adams Conant William Dunlap · 1829
  51. Militia Drilling
    Militia Drilling William P. Chappel · 1874
  52. Bull's Head Tavern
    Bull's Head Tavern William P. Chappel · 1874
  53. Mrs. Teakes
    Mrs. Teakes Anne Teakes · 1812
  54. Portrait of a Lady
    Portrait of a Lady Anthony Meucci · 1827
  55. Charles Henry Hall
    Charles Henry Hall Anne Hall · 1820
  56. Washington Reviewing the Western Army at Fort Cumberland, Maryland
  57. Alice Goudry
    Alice Goudry Eliza Goodridge · 1832
  58. Strawberry Pedlar
    Strawberry Pedlar William P. Chappel · 1874
  59. Portrait of a Lady
    Portrait of a Lady Thomas Seir Cummings · 1827
  60. Still Life with Cake
    Still Life with Cake Raphaelle Peale · 1818