Taali, série silhouette de femme
Mireille Bassier-Tilmont
Sculpture - 40 x 22 x 6 cm Sculpture - 15.7 x 8.7 x 2.4 inch
$3,084
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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Elle et son prince charmant
Anne-Marie Vesco
Painting - 27 x 22 x 4.05 cm Painting - 10.6 x 8.7 x 1.6 inch
$1,780
Sourire Omar
Emmanuelle Barbaras
Photography - 28 x 43 x 0.2 cm Photography - 11 x 16.9 x 0.1 inch
$830
Bouche homme
Emmanuelle Barbaras
Photography - 40 x 50 x 1 cm Photography - 15.7 x 19.7 x 0.4 inch
$830
Bouche femme
Emmanuelle Barbaras
Photography - 40 x 50 x 1 cm Photography - 15.7 x 19.7 x 0.4 inch
$830
Souplesse série silhouette humaine
Nathalie Camoin-Chanet
Sculpture - 33 x 17 x 7 cm Sculpture - 13 x 6.7 x 2.8 inch
$5,457
Times of guns and beauty
Nikolay Devnenski
Sculpture - 43 x 20 x 20 cm Sculpture - 16.9 x 7.9 x 7.9 inch
$3,322
A Gentle Request
Kristina Mallen
Fine Art Drawings - 36 x 26 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 14.2 x 10.2 x 0 inch
$652
La mort en fete dans le forêt profonde
Anne-Marie Vesco
Painting - 33 x 25 x 3 cm Painting - 13 x 9.8 x 1.2 inch
$1,780
My green apple bowl
Natalya Mougenot
Painting - 40 x 40 x 1.5 cm Painting - 15.7 x 15.7 x 0.6 inch
$415
Kamayurá pajés (shamans). Xingu Indigenous Territory, State of Mato Grosso, Brazil (M)
Sebastião Salgado
Photography - 40.6 x 50.8 cm Photography - 16 x 20 inch
$10,000
Kamayurá pajés (shamans). Xingu Indigenous Territory, State of Mato Grosso, Brazil (S)
Sebastião Salgado
Photography - 27.9 x 35.6 cm Photography - 11 x 14 inch
$9,500
Breaking bad again
Marcelo Novo
Painting - 50.8 x 40.6 x 1.3 cm Painting - 20 x 16 x 0.5 inch
$1,330
Jardin effeuillé - Paysage abstrait
Anne-Marie Renno
Painting - 38 x 46 x 2 cm Painting - 15 x 18.1 x 0.8 inch
$380
West Papua, Indonesia (M)
Sebastião Salgado
Photography - 50 x 40.1 cm Photography - 19.7 x 15.8 inch
$10,000
West Papua, Indonesia (S)
Sebastião Salgado
Photography - 40.1 x 30 cm Photography - 15.8 x 11.8 inch
$9,500
Two Kuikuro men pull the fishing net through the lake near their village in preparation for the women’s ceremony during Kuarup. Xingu Indigenous Territory, State of Mato Grosso, Brazil (S)
Sebastião Salgado
Photography - 40.6 x 50.8 cm Photography - 16 x 20 inch
$10,000
Two Kuikuro men pull the fishing net through the lake near their village in preparation for the women’s ceremony during Kuarup. Xingu Indigenous Territory, State of Mato Grosso, Brazil (S)
Sebastião Salgado
Photography - 27.9 x 35.6 cm Photography - 11 x 14 inch
$9,500
Karo people from Ethiopia
Faie Davis
Photography - 30 x 50 x 0.1 cm Photography - 11.8 x 19.7 x 0 inch
$990
History of Violence
Aurèle de Paladines
Print - 42 x 29.7 x 0.3 cm Print - 16.5 x 11.7 x 0.1 inch
$356
A Man with a Rake, Hayfield
Alexander Sviyazov
Sculpture - 42 x 27 x 10 cm Sculpture - 16.5 x 10.6 x 3.9 inch
$7,711
Fluorescent Ascension #4. From The Neon Progress Series
Almo
Painting - 35.8 x 25.9 x 0.3 cm Painting - 14.1 x 10.2 x 0.1 inch
$1,100
Fluorescent Ascension #3. From The Neon Progress Series
Almo
Painting - 35.8 x 25.9 x 0.3 cm Painting - 14.1 x 10.2 x 0.1 inch
$1,100
Fluorescent Ascension #2. From The Neon Progress Series
Almo
Painting - 35.8 x 25.9 x 0.3 cm Painting - 14.1 x 10.2 x 0.1 inch
$1,100
Fluorescent Ascension #1. From The Neon Progress Series
Almo
Painting - 35.8 x 25.9 x 0.3 cm Painting - 14.1 x 10.2 x 0.1 inch
$1,100
Receptacle #2. From The Vase Serie
Almo
Painting - 41.9 x 30 x 0.3 cm Painting - 16.5 x 11.8 x 0.1 inch
$1,200
Sans titre (1)
Sylva Sylva
Fine Art Drawings - 30 x 20 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.8 x 7.9 x 0.4 inch
$308
La Danse, numérotée 7/8
Véronique Clanet
Sculpture - 34 x 20 x 18 cm Sculpture - 13.4 x 7.9 x 7.1 inch
$7,118
Something is happening
Yuliy Takov
Painting - 24 x 26 x 0.2 cm Painting - 9.4 x 10.2 x 0.1 inch
$1,085
La liseuse assise
Patricia Grangier
Sculpture - 30 x 10 x 30 cm Sculpture - 11.8 x 3.9 x 11.8 inch
$3,559
La danseuse de cabaret
Patricia Grangier
Sculpture - 30 x 15 x 20 cm Sculpture - 11.8 x 5.9 x 7.9 inch
$3,559
Looking on the sky
Michael Levchenko
Sculpture - 47 x 20 x 10 cm Sculpture - 18.5 x 7.9 x 3.9 inch
$3,500
