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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Héraclès (portrait)
Jérôme Bouscarat
Fine Art Drawings - 40 x 30 x 0.5 cm Fine Art Drawings - 15.7 x 11.8 x 0.2 inch
$515
Afrikaans
Korede Solaja
Fine Art Drawings - 49 x 39 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 19.3 x 15.4 x 0.4 inch
$2,234
Personnage baroque
Pascal Marlin
Painting - 31 x 24 x 0.1 cm Painting - 12.2 x 9.4 x 0 inch
$334 $234
The fatigue of the conquest
Jessica Houston
Fine Art Drawings - 25.4 x 35.6 x 2.5 cm Fine Art Drawings - 10 x 14 x 1 inch
$1,669
Roly-poly-female No. 2
Dana Widawski
Sculpture - 29 x 14 x 14 cm Sculpture - 11.4 x 5.5 x 5.5 inch
$10,252
Mon rêve familier
Barbara Petit Lisy
Painting - 35 x 27 x 0.5 cm Painting - 13.8 x 10.6 x 0.2 inch
$916
Self Portrait R
Damien Hirst
Photography - 21.5 x 25.5 x 0.1 cm Photography - 8.5 x 10 x 0 inch
$2,980
Lady from the past
Eliana Barbosa
Photography - 30.5 x 30.5 x 2.5 cm Photography - 12 x 12 x 1 inch
$656
La luna llora y hace un océano de vida
Micaela Piñero
Painting - 29.7 x 21 x 2 cm Painting - 11.7 x 8.3 x 0.8 inch
$1,788
Hunted-Hunter#1
Virginie Groleau
Sculpture - 30 x 16 x 18 cm Sculpture - 11.8 x 6.3 x 7.1 inch
$3,576
Two Women
Paul César Helleu
Fine Art Drawings - 40 x 50 x 2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 15.7 x 19.7 x 0.8 inch
$11,325
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
Denda (Never try to trick me with a kiss)
Katia Chausheva
Photography - 48 x 33 x 0.3 cm Photography - 18.9 x 13 x 0.1 inch
$954
Woman playing cards
Susana Mata
Fine Art Drawings - 40 x 30 x 0.03 cm Fine Art Drawings - 15.7 x 11.8 x 0 inch
$715
Des lueurs ocre et rouge
Jean-Claude Campana
Painting - 33 x 41 x 2.5 cm Painting - 13 x 16.1 x 1 inch
$2,742
London, NY, LA, Tokyo and other cities in Asia
Yoshitomo Nara
Fine Art Drawings - 30 x 21 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.8 x 8.3 inch
$89,409
Jeune femme endormie
Eugène Bégarat
Painting - 35 x 27 x 2 cm Painting - 13.8 x 10.6 x 0.8 inch
$2,265
La fille de Chambellan
Anatoly Syvkov
Painting - 48 x 35 x 2 cm Painting - 18.9 x 13.8 x 0.8 inch
$1,669
Cause the world’s crasy man
Jofo
Fine Art Drawings - 42 x 29.7 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 16.5 x 11.7 x 0 inch
$1,168
Fluttering butterflies
Beatriz Sánchez
Painting - 50 x 50 x 1 cm Painting - 19.7 x 19.7 x 0.4 inch
$3,576
Unique openwork portrait
Boguslaw Popowicz
Sculpture - 40 x 33 x 18 cm Sculpture - 15.7 x 13 x 7.1 inch
$7,748
Pacific Sugar
Chloe Marsters
Fine Art Drawings - 40 x 28.7 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 15.7 x 11.3 x 0.4 inch
$1,013
Innocence in Collision
David Cintract
Photography - 30 x 30 x 2 cm Photography - 11.8 x 11.8 x 0.8 inch
$1,133
Mickaël Archangel
Carole Framezelle - Acmiya
Print - 50 x 50 x 1 cm Print - 19.7 x 19.7 x 0.4 inch
$298
Double Temporality
Intissar Belaid
Photography - 31 x 23 x 1 cm Photography - 12.2 x 9.1 x 0.4 inch
$2,980
A_scared_Kojosei_notreally_
Isaac Ato Jackson
Painting - 50 x 37 x 5 cm Painting - 19.7 x 14.6 x 2 inch
$3,576
Tennis player
Werkstätte Hagenauer
Sculpture - 28 x 27 x 8 cm Sculpture - 11 x 10.6 x 3.1 inch
$5,365
La bougie
Henriette Barety
Fine Art Drawings - 30 x 40 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.8 x 15.7 x 0 inch
$477
Nostalgia
Zena Dabbous
Fine Art Drawings - 30.5 x 30.5 x 0.01 cm Fine Art Drawings - 12 x 12 x 0 inch
$400
Variation of Mona Lisa ( made with dust)
Gil Gijón
Fine Art Drawings - 47 x 41 cm Fine Art Drawings - 18.5 x 16.1 inch
$3,500
Trump at Home
Blankman
Fine Art Drawings - 32 x 32 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 12.6 x 12.6 x 0 inch
$298
