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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Unity Blooming Bear - Big
Blooming Bears
Design - 50 x 33 x 23 cm Design - 19.7 x 13 x 9.1 inch
$4,500
Las Vegas - Budapest / Série SuperPOPsitions
Amandine André
Photography - 40 x 30 x 0.4 cm Photography - 15.7 x 11.8 x 0.2 inch
$417
Marilyn Monroe in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
Frank Powolny
Photography - 25.5 x 20.5 x 1 cm Photography - 10 x 8.1 x 0.4 inch
$1,191
2.1M Tintin en Amerique
Rodrigo Spinel
Fine Art Drawings - 30 x 20.8 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.8 x 8.2 x 0.1 inch
$1,500
1.2M Bat Man
Rodrigo Spinel
Fine Art Drawings - 30 x 20.8 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.8 x 8.2 x 0.1 inch
$1,500
1.0 M (Detective comics)
Rodrigo Spinel
Fine Art Drawings - 30 x 20.8 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.8 x 8.2 x 0.1 inch
$1,500
3.2 M. Action comics.
Rodrigo Spinel
Fine Art Drawings - 30 x 20.8 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.8 x 8.2 x 0.1 inch
$1,500
Fast food series #7 - Be cool
Diane Grant
Print - 35 x 35 x 0.01 cm Print - 13.8 x 13.8 x 0 inch
$425
Fast food series #5 - Do what you love
Diane Grant
Print - 35 x 34 x 0.01 cm Print - 13.8 x 13.4 x 0 inch
$425
Fast food series #3 - Candy and more
Diane Grant
Print - 35 x 35 x 0.01 cm Print - 13.8 x 13.8 x 0 inch
$425
Fast food series #2 - Say cheese
Diane Grant
Print - 35 x 35 x 0.01 cm Print - 13.8 x 13.8 x 0 inch
$425
Fragmented Landscape (3D)
Dan Baldwin
Design - 36 x 22 x 22 cm Design - 14.2 x 8.7 x 8.7 inch
$7,300
Dancing Party Coca cola
Christiane Guerry
Sculpture - 43 x 29 x 19 cm Sculpture - 16.9 x 11.4 x 7.5 inch
$429
One dollar "One way" blue maldives
Karl Lagasse
Sculpture - 16.5 x 38 x 0.2 cm Sculpture - 6.5 x 15 x 0.1 inch
$2,738
Comme un poisson dans l'eau
Muriel Deumie
Print - 30 x 40 x 0.5 cm Print - 11.8 x 15.7 x 0.2 inch
$405
City of dreams
Alain Lumbroso
Photography - 50 x 40 x 4 cm Photography - 19.7 x 15.7 x 1.6 inch
$2,619
The Fergusson Farmers
Freaks the Fab
Fine Art Drawings - 20.3 x 30.5 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 8 x 12 x 0.1 inch
$1,429
Casa de Manhattan
Freaks the Fab
Fine Art Drawings - 20.3 x 30.5 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 8 x 12 x 0.1 inch
$1,429
Robot armato di aspirapolvere
Claudio Parigi
Painting - 50 x 40 x 2 cm Painting - 19.7 x 15.7 x 0.8 inch
$476
La strada verso Marte
Claudio Parigi
Painting - 40 x 50 x 2 cm Painting - 15.7 x 19.7 x 0.8 inch
$476
Tutte le bugie del mondo
Claudio Parigi
Painting - 50 x 40 x 2 cm Painting - 19.7 x 15.7 x 0.8 inch
$476
1/The magician
Emma Anna
Photography - 39.4 x 26.7 x 0.3 cm Photography - 15.5 x 10.5 x 0.1 inch
$900
Sergei Sviatchenko - Capacity For Conjuring Illusion 2
Sergei Sviatchenko
Photography - 21 x 42 cm Photography - 8.3 x 16.5 inch
$3,572
Sergei Sviatchenko - Capacity For Conjuring Illusion 3
Sergei Sviatchenko
Photography - 21 x 42 cm Photography - 8.3 x 16.5 inch
$3,572
Sergei Sviatchenko - Capacity For Conjuring Illusion 5
Sergei Sviatchenko
Photography - 21 x 42 cm Photography - 8.3 x 16.5 inch
$3,572
Sergei Sviatchenko - Capacity For Conjuring Illusion 6
Sergei Sviatchenko
Photography - 26 x 32 cm Photography - 10.2 x 12.6 inch
$3,572
Sergei Sviatchenko - Capacity For Conjuring Illusion 4
Sergei Sviatchenko
Photography - 36 x 26 cm Photography - 14.2 x 10.2 inch
$3,572
Sergei Sviatchenko - Capacity For Conjuring Illusion 1
Sergei Sviatchenko
Photography - 36 x 26 cm Photography - 14.2 x 10.2 inch
$3,572
Making Eyes Across The Room ( Yellow )
Adam Bridgland
Print - 27 x 44 x 0.2 cm Print - 10.6 x 17.3 x 0.1 inch
$237
Rencontres Improbables 023 - Rêve de poupée
Rodolfo Franchi
Photography - 45 x 30 cm Photography - 17.7 x 11.8 inch
$476
Bardot Holopeinture
Dominique Mulhem
Photography - 40 x 32 x 1 cm Photography - 15.7 x 12.6 x 0.4 inch
$5,357
Sergei Sviatchenko - Capacity For Conjuring Illusion 7
Sergei Sviatchenko
Photography - 21 x 42 cm Photography - 8.3 x 16.5 inch
$3,572
Colpo al Castello di Rivoli
Pino Rosa
Painting - 50 x 35 x 0.1 cm Painting - 19.7 x 13.8 x 0 inch
$333
Le Tracce del Lupo - Diabolik
Pino Rosa
Painting - 50 x 35 x 0.1 cm Painting - 19.7 x 13.8 x 0 inch
$333
Il prigioniero di Porto Azzurro - Diabolik
Pino Rosa
Painting - 50 x 35 x 0.1 cm Painting - 19.7 x 13.8 x 0 inch
$333
Campbell's Soup
Dominique Mulhem
Photography - 40 x 32 x 1 cm Photography - 15.7 x 12.6 x 0.4 inch
$5,357
Allégorie du temps qui passe série religions et civilisations
Adel Legraffeur
Fine Art Drawings - 29.7 x 21 x 0.2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.7 x 8.3 x 0.1 inch
$107
Dialogue entre les Dieux série religions et civilisations
Adel Legraffeur
Fine Art Drawings - 29.7 x 21 x 0.2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.7 x 8.3 x 0.1 inch
$107
Le fumeur mélancolique série relations humaines
Adel Legraffeur
Fine Art Drawings - 32 x 24 x 0.2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 12.6 x 9.4 x 0.1 inch
$107
Gucci Broken Horsebit Trash Bag
Chinglish Wang
Sculpture - 25 x 28 x 7 cm Sculpture - 9.8 x 11 x 2.8 inch
$10,596
Kaws – Holiday Singapore (Set of 3)
Kaws
Design - 26 x 11 x 8 cm Design - 10.2 x 4.3 x 3.1 inch
$2,500
Moet x Chandon wine bottle
Paa Joe
Sculpture - 46 x 20 x 20 cm Sculpture - 18.1 x 7.9 x 7.9 inch
$7,736
Roboclusions Daft Punks Transparents
Vincent Sabatier
Sculpture - 35 x 20 x 12 cm Sculpture - 13.8 x 7.9 x 4.7 inch
$4,167
Roboclusions Daft Punks Black Silver and Gold
Vincent Sabatier
Sculpture - 35 x 20 x 12 cm Sculpture - 13.8 x 7.9 x 4.7 inch
$4,167
Street Connoisseur - Keep it Real - Pink
Mr Brainwash
Painting - 50.8 x 40.6 x 0.6 cm Painting - 20 x 16 x 0.25 inch
$11,500
Bruce's Angel
Clotilde.MJ
Photography - 45.16 x 40 x 0.3 cm Photography - 17.8 x 15.7 x 0.1 inch
$548
Mes amours de panda
Florence Le Van
Photography - 27 x 18 x 1 cm Photography - 10.6 x 7.1 x 0.4 inch
$476