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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Painting, Old Town Morning, Igor Galan

Igor Galan

Painting . 30 x 36 x 2 cm Painting . 11.8 x 14.2 x 0.8 inch

CHF 922

Painting, Platja, Martínez Lozano

Martínez Lozano

Painting . 38 x 45 x 3 cm Painting . 15 x 17.7 x 1.2 inch

CHF 3,106

Painting, Perrache, Nicolas Curmer

Nicolas Curmer

Painting . 30 x 41 x 5 cm Painting . 11.8 x 16.1 x 2 inch

CHF 776

Painting, Night lights, Viktor Gutsul

Viktor Gutsul

Painting . 50 x 50 x 4 cm Painting . 19.7 x 19.7 x 1.6 inch

CHF 267

Painting, Ville jaune, Karin Boinet

Karin Boinet

Painting . 32 x 24 x 0.1 cm Painting . 12.6 x 9.4 x 0 inch

CHF 825

Painting, Chinitas, Nigel Bailey

Nigel Bailey

Painting . 40.3 x 40.3 x 0.4 cm Painting . 15.9 x 15.9 x 0.2 inch

CHF 995

Painting, Via Olimpica, Cris C. Dopico

Cris C. Dopico

Painting . 31 x 34 x 3 cm Painting . 12.2 x 13.4 x 1.2 inch

CHF 582

Painting, Sky 048, Claude Francheteau

Claude Francheteau

Painting . 27 x 27 x 5 cm Painting . 10.6 x 10.6 x 2 inch

CHF 393

Fine Art Drawings, Eguisheim (SP02), Sandrine Piegay

Sandrine Piegay

Fine Art Drawings . 30 x 42 x 0.2 cm Fine Art Drawings . 11.8 x 16.5 x 0.1 inch

CHF 874

Painting, Venice, Lusie Schellenberg

Lusie Schellenberg

Painting . 35 x 45 x 1 cm Painting . 13.8 x 17.7 x 0.4 inch

CHF 874

Painting, Cat City, Morena MoBe

Morena MoBe

Painting . 50 x 50 x 1.5 cm Painting . 19.7 x 19.7 x 0.6 inch

CHF 175

Painting, Yellow taxi, Darren Thompson

Darren Thompson

Painting . 30.5 x 40.6 x 5.1 cm Painting . 12 x 16 x 2 inch

CHF 1,067

Sculpture, Sans titre, Jean-Luc Parant

Jean-Luc Parant

Sculpture . 40 x 17 x 17 cm Sculpture . 15.7 x 6.7 x 6.7 inch

CHF 2,912

Sculpture, Soledad, Chloé Sontrop

Chloé Sontrop

Sculpture . 38 x 16 x 16 cm Sculpture . 15 x 6.3 x 6.3 inch

CHF 3,688

Painting, Paris, Michel Rodde

Michel Rodde

Painting . 27 x 37 x 1 cm Painting . 10.6 x 14.6 x 0.4 inch

CHF 1,359

Photography, HK Flora (1), Camille Levert

Camille Levert

Photography . 47 x 47 x 3 cm Photography . 18.5 x 18.5 x 1.2 inch

CHF 5,338

Sculpture, La Famille, Miguel Guía

Miguel Guía

Sculpture . 28 x 24 x 24 cm Sculpture . 11 x 9.4 x 9.4 inch

CHF 1,087

Painting, Central Park, Anmarie Léon

Anmarie Léon

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

CHF 2,329

Painting, Evening's Glow, Kamo Ohanyan

Kamo Ohanyan

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

CHF 400 CHF 341

Painting, Salou, Josep Sala

Josep Sala

Painting . 24 x 33 x 1 cm Painting . 9.4 x 13 x 0.4 inch

CHF 1,456