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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A Time To Imagine 2
Nestor Toro
Painting - 50.8 x 40.6 x 1.8 cm Painting - 20 x 16 x 0.7 inch
$1,025
Double Imagery (Forest Pond), Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
Nestor Toro
Painting - 50.8 x 40.6 x 1.8 cm Painting - 20 x 16 x 0.7 inch
$1,035
Red valley (Heat wave)
Nestor Toro
Painting - 50.8 x 40.6 x 1.8 cm Painting - 20 x 16 x 0.7 inch
$1,030
Les Petites Femmes de Pigalle
Mariam Khachatryan
Painting - 30 x 20 x 0.1 cm Painting - 11.8 x 7.9 x 0 inch
$1,073
La Natue de Mars
Mariam Khachatryan
Painting - 38 x 30 x 0.1 cm Painting - 15 x 11.8 x 0 inch
$1,013
Romance de la Nature
Mariam Khachatryan
Painting - 34 x 30 x 0.1 cm Painting - 13.4 x 11.8 x 0 inch
$1,192
True African Beauty Yellow Handmade Sculpture for Home Decor
Dervis Akdemir
Sculpture - 36 x 27 x 13 cm Sculpture - 14.2 x 10.6 x 5.1 inch
$212
En selle - Horseracing - Longchamp
Kalh Art Kalley
Painting - 29 x 42 x 3 cm Painting - 11.4 x 16.5 x 1.2 inch
$620
Magic geranium - still life framed
Lilya Volskaya
Painting - 50 x 40 x 1.5 cm Painting - 19.7 x 15.7 x 0.6 inch
$978
Josefa
Patricia Pierre Gomez Baranda
Painting - 38 x 46 x 1.5 cm Painting - 15 x 18.1 x 0.6 inch
$656
Uni-Cone Handmade Sculpture for Home Decor
Dervis Akdemir
Sculpture - 38 x 15 x 15 cm Sculpture - 15 x 5.9 x 5.9 inch
$325
Jardin d'orient
Isabelle Marie
Painting - 29.5 x 41.5 x 0.01 cm Painting - 11.6 x 16.3 x 0 inch
$954
Jardin aux deux arbres
Isabelle Marie
Painting - 41.5 x 29.5 x 0.01 cm Painting - 16.3 x 11.6 x 0 inch
$715
Liham - Composition graphique et symbolique semi-abstrait
Hervé Jonas
Painting - 50 x 50 x 2 cm Painting - 19.7 x 19.7 x 0.8 inch
$745
Dibujos de estudio 3
Toni Caldentey
Painting - 40 x 30 x 1 cm Painting - 15.7 x 11.8 x 0.4 inch
$715
Champ de coquelicots
Gyslaine Pachet-Micheneau
Painting - 38 x 46 x 2 cm Painting - 15 x 18.1 x 0.8 inch
$691
Untitled
Josep Marí Sintes
Fine Art Drawings - 33 x 26 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 13 x 10.2 x 0 inch
$794
City Sketches 1
Rakhmet Redzhepov (Ramzi)
Painting - 38 x 24 x 2 cm Painting - 15 x 9.4 x 0.8 inch
$477
Arbres étranges - série 14
Hervé Fayolle
Painting - 40 x 30 x 1 cm Painting - 15.7 x 11.8 x 0.4 inch
$1,907
Trois personnages en quête de couleurs
Marc Laffolay
Print - 40 x 40 x 0.1 cm Print - 15.7 x 15.7 x 0 inch
$358
Animal Painting #019-1760
Les Thomas
Painting - 31 x 31 x 4 cm Painting - 12.2 x 12.2 x 1.6 inch
$1,860
hana27_6919-222
Yasuo Kiyonaga
Photography - 34 x 44 x 2 cm Photography - 13.4 x 17.3 x 0.8 inch
$715
hana19_F5035
Yasuo Kiyonaga
Photography - 32.9 x 42.7 x 0.1 cm Photography - 13 x 16.8 x 0 inch
$715
Abstract landscape-XIII
Stanislav Bojankov
Painting - 30 x 35 x 0.1 cm Painting - 11.8 x 13.8 x 0 inch
$238
Jam session-XVI
Stanislav Bojankov
Painting - 35 x 40 x 0.5 cm Painting - 13.8 x 15.7 x 0.2 inch
$298
Popeye x In-N-Out: Burger Sailor Edition
Dervis Akdemir
Sculpture - 36 x 17 x 18 cm Sculpture - 14.2 x 6.7 x 7.1 inch
$339
Fantasme Venitien IV
Pascal Dabere
Painting - 50 x 50 x 3 cm Painting - 19.7 x 19.7 x 1.2 inch
$1,073
Techno David: The Cyborg Sculpture
Dervis Akdemir
Sculpture - 43 x 25 x 20 cm Sculpture - 16.9 x 9.8 x 7.9 inch
$466
La vie en rose
Christine Desplanque
Painting - 50 x 50 x 2 cm Painting - 19.7 x 19.7 x 0.8 inch
$709
Miro et moi
Muriel Deumie
Fine Art Drawings - 29 x 39 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.4 x 15.4 x 0.4 inch
$715
La mer tranquille
Christine Desplanque
Painting - 50 x 50 x 3 cm Painting - 19.7 x 19.7 x 1.2 inch
$709
Soleil brulant
Christine Desplanque
Painting - 50 x 50 x 3 cm Painting - 19.7 x 19.7 x 1.2 inch
$709
