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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Small

Echoes Stir Unsummoned

Gorille colors

Sans-titre

Mariana con Abanico

New

Spread your wings

Chameau

Inspiration

Sans-titre

003

1987 Cubintra I

Flammarion. Photograph intervened by the artists.

Only the Strong Survive

Envolée - Explosion graphique - série Energie

Minikrypto

Le dernier soleil 4

Car Races, Lemans 57

Freude 2 - Joy 2

Sunglasses

Cylindrism 4

La Traviata - Rodolphe - 2e Acte

Les Amies

The metropolitan rush

De brouage, à San Francisco

Le Port de Villefranche sur mer

White Parisi Blanc 1969 Six passants 6 passers-by

Fashion on the Street, Paris 1963

Circ de Tarragona

Atlas Sun Tux

Horizontal and Vertical Movements #1. From The Rectangular Composition Series

Le Corbu

A Moment Of Rest

Drab days and Coloured Minds #1

Afterimage II

Kira (Burnished Gold)

Winter Light 01

Confessions rétro-éclairées

Disco Ball

Tracks V

En Compagnie

Varanasi baby

No Valid Name #1

Au-delà 23

Untitled

Mon ange

Aluminium II

Visceral Blush II. From the Visceral Series

Portrait de jeune fille

L'éphémère en lumière

Swanston Street view from Princes Bridge

Sans titre

Whisper of the Moonlit Forest

Golden Bounty

A light breeze in the yard

Ipso facto 2

Les promenades

A contre courant

Innocence in the Fields

Tchinchin - Composition graphique et symbolique semi-abstrait

Bunny

All the angles

Sunset Over The Meadow

Matinée à Rome I

S102204

Vers les Himalayas

Port de Rouen