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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Photography, Rose boy, Marcelina Amelia

Marcelina Amelia

Photography . 45.9 x 30.2 cm Photography . 18.1 x 11.9 inch

£487

Painting, Elans, Clothilde Lasserre

Clothilde Lasserre

Painting . 30 x 30 x 2 cm Painting . 11.8 x 11.8 x 0.8 inch

£709

Photography, Dancing, Ken Heyman

Ken Heyman

Photography . 27.9 x 35.6 x 1.3 cm Photography . 11 x 14 x 0.5 inch

£3,894

Photography, Jump, Justina Napiorkowska

Justina Napiorkowska

Photography . 30 x 40 cm Photography . 11.8 x 15.7 inch

£310

Painting, Boyhood, Sa Hara

Sa Hara

Painting . 27.3 x 34.8 x 3 cm Painting . 10.7 x 13.7 x 1.2 inch

£345

Painting, Hugs, Oleksandr Vynnyk

Oleksandr Vynnyk

Painting . 30 x 30 x 5 cm Painting . 11.8 x 11.8 x 2 inch

£244

Painting, Thirst, Milan Laciak

Milan Laciak

Painting . 50 x 40 x 2 cm Painting . 19.7 x 15.7 x 0.8 inch

£461

Painting, Amoureux, Christian Raffin

Christian Raffin

Painting . 46 x 38 x 2 cm Painting . 18.1 x 15 x 0.8 inch

£611

Painting, Beyond Reach, Alisa Leonets

Alisa Leonets

Painting . 50 x 50 x 2 cm Painting . 19.7 x 19.7 x 0.8 inch

£620

Photography, Varna Pool, Robert Edward

Robert Edward

Photography . 48.3 x 33 cm Photography . 19 x 13 inch

£137

Print, October, Martin Bigum

Martin Bigum

Print . 50 x 35 cm Print . 19.7 x 13.8 inch

£465

Photography, Consecration, Justine Darmon

Justine Darmon

Photography . 30 x 30 x 1 cm Photography . 11.8 x 11.8 x 0.4 inch

£664

Painting, Aquarelle, Julien Raynaud

Julien Raynaud

Painting . 40 x 30 x 0.1 cm Painting . 15.7 x 11.8 x 0 inch

£664

Painting, Cafè, Jorge Luis Alio

Jorge Luis Alio

Painting . 24 x 30 x 0.5 cm Painting . 9.4 x 11.8 x 0.2 inch

£531

Sculpture, Sur le banc, Laure Krug

Laure Krug

Sculpture . 39 x 45 x 37 cm Sculpture . 15.4 x 17.7 x 14.6 inch

£2,303

Painting, Harlequin, Nigel Bailey

Nigel Bailey

Painting . 45.8 x 45.8 x 0.4 cm Painting . 18 x 18 x 0.2 inch

£1,240

Painting, Untitled, Ilia Balavadze

Ilia Balavadze

Painting . 50 x 30 x 3 cm Painting . 19.7 x 11.8 x 1.2 inch

£620

Photography, The Kiss, Stéphane Lanoux

Stéphane Lanoux

Photography . 50 x 50 x 0.3 cm Photography . 19.7 x 19.7 x 0.1 inch

£310

Fine Art Drawings, Seven, Nino Devdariani

Nino Devdariani

Fine Art Drawings . 24 x 35 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 9.4 x 13.8 x 0 inch

£2,657

Sculpture, Mission to Mars, Astroman

Astroman

Sculpture . 42 x 23 x 20 cm Sculpture . 16.5 x 9.1 x 7.9 inch

£7,085

Painting, Tango, Janusz Szpyt

Janusz Szpyt

Painting . 46 x 30 x 2 cm Painting . 18.1 x 11.8 x 0.8 inch

£2,214 £1,993

Photography, Ram Dad, Ken Heyman

Ken Heyman

Photography . 27.9 x 35.6 x 1.3 cm Photography . 11 x 14 x 0.5 inch

£3,894

Print, Le baiser II, Maude Ovize

Maude Ovize

Print . 49 x 49 x 0.1 cm Print . 19.3 x 19.3 x 0 inch

£266

Painting, Chandra, Tamar Sulakvelidze

Tamar Sulakvelidze

Painting . 30 x 30 x 2 cm Painting . 11.8 x 11.8 x 0.8 inch

£7,085

Print, Le balcon, Yves Brayer

Yves Brayer

Print . 32.8 x 24.2 cm Print . 12.9 x 9.5 inch

£531

Painting, Summer Wind, Maria Esmar

Maria Esmar

Painting . 40 x 40 x 4 cm Painting . 15.7 x 15.7 x 1.6 inch

£841

Painting, Sahara Boyhood, Sa Hara

Sa Hara

Painting . 34.8 x 27.3 x 3 cm Painting . 13.7 x 10.7 x 1.2 inch

£381

Photography, Solitude, Fabien Strauss

Fabien Strauss

Photography . 30 x 24 x 0.1 cm Photography . 11.8 x 9.4 x 0 inch

£224

Painting, Wind of Love, Lee Yu Min

Lee Yu Min

Painting . 35 x 47 x 4 cm Painting . 13.8 x 18.5 x 1.6 inch

£354

Painting, Insiemi 1, Dores Sacquegna

Dores Sacquegna

Painting . 21 x 30 x 0.3 cm Painting . 8.3 x 11.8 x 0.1 inch

£310