Small
Recent trends in contemporary art have meant that we've grown accustomed to large scale pieces, be that huge canvases, enormous sculptures, or giant installations.
However, the miniature has always been an important part of contemporary art. Be it paintings, sculpture, or photography as well as small format drawings, the reduced dimensions of the artwork puts new constraints on the artist, forcing them to develop their techniques and artistic finesse.
Jeff Wall, an American photographer known for his large scale photographic prints on huge illuminated boxes, has said that “the scale of a piece is not about the dimensions of it, but about the internal tensions within the composition".
Believe it or not, miniature pieces have many advantages. Smaller formats allow the artists to show off a different range of talents and techniques, and sometimes even create the impression of a much higher quality piece – such as engravings or prints. Creating a miniature is a sure sign of precision and skill.
They are also more practical to exhibit than the enormous artworks: we've all got a little space on a shelf ready to welcome a miniature sculpture, photo or drawing.
Another very practical aspect of miniatures is the myriad possibilities for display: you could put together a full shelf of statuettes, or even a dedicated framing wall – which is an increasingly popular method for display, and makes for the perfect decorative addition to a living room or bedroom. It's a mixed composition made up of an array of pieces – you guessed it – all on the same wall. The diminutive size of the miniatures also makes it easier to make sure your favourite pieces are displayed in pride of place.
Even artists who are known for their monumental works are slowly getting into miniatures, like Jeff Wall in his exhibition at the Cartier Foundation.
The miniature is making a big name for itself as a growing trend across the contemporary art world; from Gaspard Mitz, who creates tiny versions of the interiors of famous art galleries in his 'Box Stories', to the photography of Samsofy, who recreates scenes from daily life with miniscule Lego 'actors'.
Last but not least, the small scale of the pieces means that even big names come with small price tags, meaning that miniatures make excellent presents. So, go on, what are you waiting for? Browse our selection of miniature works now…
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Poèmes insoumis
André Masson
Fine Art Drawings - 31.5 x 25 x 0.2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 12.4 x 9.8 x 0.1 inch
$1,788 $1,520
La montée des eaux
Fabienne Cresens
Photography - 40 x 40 x 4 cm Photography - 15.7 x 15.7 x 1.6 inch
$596
Le Cinq
Nathan Chantob
Fine Art Drawings - 39 x 28.5 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 15.4 x 11.2 x 0.4 inch
$1,788
Bill T. Jones
Robert Mapplethorpe
Photography - 50.2 x 40 x 0.3 cm Photography - 19.75 x 15.75 x 0.1 inch
$45,000
Ecoute II
Bze Bzeland
Fine Art Drawings - 48.3 x 32.9 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 19 x 13 x 0 inch
$238
Close to nothing (Pink)
Sophie Derrick
Photography - 42 x 30 x 8 cm Photography - 16.5 x 11.8 x 3.1 inch
$1,693
Léviathan
Catherine Clare
Fine Art Drawings - 30 x 42 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.8 x 16.5 x 0 inch
$715 $644
People Conversation
Chas Laborde
Fine Art Drawings - 31 x 20.3 x 0.2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 12.2 x 8 x 0.1 inch
$775
Drum lights
Saverio Filioli Uranio
Fine Art Drawings - 32 x 24 cm Fine Art Drawings - 12.6 x 9.4 inch
$334
Encre #1
Timothy Archer
Fine Art Drawings - 28 x 21 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11 x 8.3 x 0 inch
$1,013
Lawn, Hand Stitched Canvas, Cherrywood Frame
Casey Waterman
Painting - 45.7 x 35.6 x 0.3 cm Painting - 18 x 14 x 0.1 inch
$1,200
Fragment Escultòric Petit Nº 9
Esteve Prat Paz
Sculpture - 15 x 30 x 20 cm Sculpture - 5.9 x 11.8 x 7.9 inch
$358
Les vaches
Jean Dubuffet
Fine Art Drawings - 24.5 x 32 cm Fine Art Drawings - 9.6 x 12.6 inch
$53,646
La ronde de nuit
Isabelle Healy
Sculpture - 24 x 30 x 30 cm Sculpture - 9.4 x 11.8 x 11.8 inch
$6,199
La Chambre Verte - Blossom - 2
VAM
Fine Art Drawings - 26 x 20 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 10.2 x 7.9 x 0 inch
$417
Forme, luci, il colore
Francesca Diana Martines
Painting - 46 x 28 x 0.2 cm Painting - 18.1 x 11 x 0.1 inch
$417
Le Cri du Coeur
Thierry Trivès
Sculpture - 50 x 22.09 x 13.35 cm Sculpture - 19.7 x 8.7 x 5.3 inch
$5,841
Encensé 2
Catherine Carrée
Fine Art Drawings - 50 x 40 x 0.2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 19.7 x 15.7 x 0.1 inch
$1,073
Cage
Eric Demelis
Fine Art Drawings - 45 x 45 x 2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 17.7 x 17.7 x 0.8 inch
$2,265
Manufactura 3
Oriol Texidor
Photography - 40 x 50 x 7 cm Photography - 15.7 x 19.7 x 2.8 inch
$1,502
Cocci-révolution bleue
Salvy de Saunhac
Sculpture - 12 x 37 x 24 cm Sculpture - 4.7 x 14.6 x 9.4 inch
$2,980
Untitled VII. From the series chiromorphose
Nico Baixas / Gos-com-fuig
Photography - 49.8 x 49.8 x 0.3 cm Photography - 19.6 x 19.6 x 0.1 inch
$1,250
L'Abeille - The Bee
Alex Konahin
Fine Art Drawings - 33 x 46 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 13 x 18.1 x 0.4 inch
$2,384
Ballerina Odilia
Lyubka Kyrilova
Sculpture - 46 x 16 x 15 cm Sculpture - 18.1 x 6.3 x 5.9 inch
$5,400
Couple fusionnel
Marina Cartiant
Sculpture - 45 x 20 x 30 cm Sculpture - 17.7 x 7.9 x 11.8 inch
$5,841
Man lying down
Anthony Roaland
Fine Art Drawings - 29 x 41 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.4 x 16.1 x 0 inch
$453
Warrior of compassion, Punta Valdes, Argentina
Veronica Barbatano
Photography - 10.24 x 28 cm Photography - 4 x 11 inch
$298
Hymne à l'amour
Emilie Teillaud
Sculpture - 42 x 22 x 12 cm Sculpture - 16.5 x 8.7 x 4.7 inch
$2,265
Hunted-Hunter#1
Virginie Groleau
Sculpture - 30 x 16 x 18 cm Sculpture - 11.8 x 6.3 x 7.1 inch
$3,576
Au bout de soi
Romain Tiercin
Sculpture - 40 x 29 x 22 cm Sculpture - 15.7 x 11.4 x 8.7 inch
$16,690
Louise dans un carton
David Martin
Photography - 40 x 35 x 0.1 cm Photography - 15.7 x 13.8 x 0 inch
$834
Soir d'été
Jacques Coquillay
Sculpture - 49 x 23 x 13 cm Sculpture - 19.3 x 9.1 x 5.1 inch
$9,537 $8,583
Alinéa-toi - Série sculpture bronze corps humain
Monique Gervais
Sculpture - 28 x 33 x 15 cm Sculpture - 11 x 13 x 5.9 inch
$5,365
She is Haunted by a Spirit (Manu Tupapau)
Paul Gauguin
Print - 26 x 42.5 x 0.1 cm Print - 10.2 x 16.7 x 0 inch
$11,325
Itinérances
Franceleine Debellefontaine
Sculpture - 38 x 14.5 x 8 cm Sculpture - 15 x 5.7 x 3.1 inch
$5,722
Étude Corps Féminin 13
Sandrine Verdier
Sculpture - 40 x 22 x 17 cm Sculpture - 15.7 x 8.7 x 6.7 inch
$2,444
Récolte d'étoile
Guillaume Cavalier
Fine Art Drawings - 31 x 23 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 12.2 x 9.1 x 0 inch
$1,186
Torse en bronze coulé patine en oxyde vert
José Luis Fernández
Sculpture - 31 x 20 x 20 cm Sculpture - 12.2 x 7.9 x 7.9 inch
$2,360