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, Sans 3, Lucien Hervé

Lucien Hervé

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

£2,655

Photography, One (M), Streety

Streety

Photography . 50 x 40 x 0.1 cm Photography . 19.7 x 15.7 x 0 inch

£310

Photography, Circus, Katerina Belkina

Katerina Belkina

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

£1,621

Photography, Last London Bus, Bert Hardy

Bert Hardy

Photography . 31 x 41 x 0.01 cm Photography . 12.2 x 16.1 x 0 inch

£974

Print, Istanbul I, Sukran Ulucan

Sukran Ulucan

Print . 49 x 30 x 0.3 cm Print . 19.3 x 11.8 x 0.1 inch

£575

Painting, Bruges, Nigel Bailey

Nigel Bailey

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

£907

Painting, Parigot, Veronica Schmitt

Veronica Schmitt

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

£620

Painting, Venecia, Rafael Griera

Rafael Griera

Painting . 35 x 44 x 1 cm Painting . 13.8 x 17.3 x 0.4 inch

£531

Photography, Dont Walk, Karol Kállay

Karol Kállay

Photography . 30 x 30 cm Photography . 11.8 x 11.8 inch

£974

Fine Art Drawings, Cityscape, Jean Chapin

Jean Chapin

Fine Art Drawings . 27.3 x 21 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings . 10.7 x 8.3 x 0.1 inch

£336

Painting, Winter Park, Boris Serdyuk

Boris Serdyuk

Painting . 20 x 30 x 2 cm Painting . 7.9 x 11.8 x 0.8 inch

£301

Painting, Florence, Jacques Coquillay

Jacques Coquillay

Painting . 28 x 46 x 0.5 cm Painting . 11 x 18.1 x 0.2 inch

£797

Painting, NY only, Pappay

Pappay

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

£779

Painting, Venedig, Alfred Ziethlow

Alfred Ziethlow

Painting . 40 x 50 x 0.2 cm Painting . 15.7 x 19.7 x 0.1 inch

£2,567

Painting, Fraktur, Nigel Bailey

Nigel Bailey

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

£907

Sculpture, Septième ciel, Fanjol

Fanjol

Sculpture . 32 x 27 x 24 cm Sculpture . 12.6 x 10.6 x 9.4 inch

£4,248

Painting, Sedt, Benoit Boutoille

Benoit Boutoille

Painting . 50 x 45 x 2 cm Painting . 19.7 x 17.7 x 0.8 inch

£797

Painting, Demi lune, Paul Mathey

Paul Mathey

Painting . 30 x 22.5 x 0.3 cm Painting . 11.8 x 8.9 x 0.1 inch

£780

Painting, Village, Adrien Holy

Adrien Holy

Painting . 26 x 46 x 0.3 cm Painting . 10.2 x 18.1 x 0.1 inch

£955

Painting, Medina Sidonia, Nigel Bailey

Nigel Bailey

Painting . 40.3 x 40.3 x 0.3 cm Painting . 15.9 x 15.9 x 0.1 inch

£907

Painting, Monochrom N92, Valerii

Valerii

Painting . 40 x 35 x 3 cm Painting . 15.7 x 13.8 x 1.2 inch

£1,549

Painting, City, Ian Leventhal

Ian Leventhal

Painting . 30.5 x 30.5 cm Painting . 12 x 12 inch

£729

Photography, Intervals 1., Petr Strnad

Petr Strnad

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

£283

Painting, The Arch, Nataliya Gurshman

Nataliya Gurshman

Painting . 15.2 x 45.7 x 0.3 cm Painting . 6 x 18 x 0.1 inch

£436