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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Moine bouddhiste avec un jeune novice
The opium smoking white elephant
Painting - 50 x 40 cm Painting - 19.7 x 15.7 inch
€800
Over the rainbow, Under the stars
Hiromi Sengoku
Painting - 33.2 x 24.2 x 3 cm Painting - 13.1 x 9.5 x 1.2 inch
€700
Pupa Woman (Plate)
Yoshitomo Nara
Sculpture - 26.7 x 26.7 x 3 cm Sculpture - 10.5 x 10.5 x 1.2 inch
€2,792
Framed Color Face II
Jens-Christian Wittig
Painting - 50.8 x 50.8 x 2.5 cm Painting - 20 x 20 x 1 inch
€4,116
Sculpture Ethnie - Femme africaine orange rouge caramel avec bébé devant
Atelier Piquifou
Sculpture - 44 x 10 x 5 cm Sculpture - 17.3 x 3.9 x 2 inch
€500
Les chemins du silence n°2 - série Paysage et forêt
Ursula Durr-Land
Painting - 50 x 50 x 4 cm Painting - 19.7 x 19.7 x 1.6 inch
€570
Verdolini il Celebre Masseur
Nicola Simbari
Fine Art Drawings - 30 x 22.5 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.8 x 8.9 x 0 inch
€750
When Boys Become Men
Roberto Fernando Salmon
Painting - 40.5 x 32 x 2.4 cm Painting - 15.9 x 12.6 x 0.9 inch
€500
The Chair, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
Nicole Daniah Sidonie
Painting - 36.1 x 36.1 x 0.3 cm Painting - 14.2 x 14.2 x 0.1 inch
€643
Twin Brother
Oshorenoya David Francis
Painting - 46 x 29.7 x 2.5 cm Painting - 18.1 x 11.7 x 1 inch
€1,235
Louis Vuitton Sailboat
Arcanis
Sculpture - 40 x 40 x 15 cm Sculpture - 15.7 x 15.7 x 5.9 inch
€1,646
Girl with a Cat
David Popiashvili
Painting - 43 x 30.5 x 4 cm Painting - 16.9 x 12 x 1.6 inch
€1,463
Paris, Déambulation 3
Anne Niewiadomski
Painting - 50 x 50 x 2 cm Painting - 19.7 x 19.7 x 0.8 inch
€650
Smoke IV
Jose Ricardo Contreras Gonzalez
Painting - 30 x 25 x 0.3 cm Painting - 11.8 x 9.8 x 0.1 inch
€640
Alors Nino tu marches ?
Clément Herrmann
Painting - 20.3 x 30.5 x 0.3 cm Painting - 8 x 12 x 0.1 inch
€800
Patriarche
Christine Marie Nobre
Sculpture - 35 x 30 x 26 cm Sculpture - 13.8 x 11.8 x 10.2 inch
€800
Grand Piano: Melody is a feeling that chose to be heard
Kristina Mallen
Fine Art Drawings - 36 x 48 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 14.2 x 18.9 x 0 inch
€750
La question
Albane de Saint Remy
Fine Art Drawings - 35 x 24 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 13.8 x 9.4 x 0 inch
€720
N° 373 A l'auberge, l'hiver.
R. Cavalié
Fine Art Drawings - 42 x 29 x 0.2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 16.5 x 11.4 x 0.1 inch
€540
Coffee & Cigarette 5
Andrea Vandoni
Fine Art Drawings - 40 x 30 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 15.7 x 11.8 x 0 inch
€500
L'univers des Yayas - N° 328
Yannis Lagresle
Sculpture - 43 x 10 x 48 cm Sculpture - 16.9 x 3.9 x 18.9 inch
€2,900
Mickey, aquagravure originale jaune
Eric Liot
Print - 38 x 33 x 0.1 cm Print - 15 x 13 x 0 inch
€700
Girl
Nino Cordio
Fine Art Drawings - 44.5 x 31 x 0.2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 17.5 x 12.2 x 0.1 inch
€550
Portrait
Serge Fontinsky
Fine Art Drawings - 35.5 x 23.6 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 14 x 9.3 x 0.1 inch
€580
Portrait of Arab
Jean Louis Plumet
Fine Art Drawings - 29.2 x 20 x 0.2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.5 x 7.9 x 0.1 inch
€550
People of the Street
David Schneuer
Painting - 36 x 46 x 1 cm Painting - 14.2 x 18.1 x 0.4 inch
€1,921
Montana Black (Yellow) Handfinished
James Bullough
Print - 50 x 50 x 0.1 cm Print - 19.7 x 19.7 x 0 inch
€600
Happiness Is Something That You Share
Andra Daans
Painting - 49.8 x 34.8 x 1.8 cm Painting - 19.6 x 13.7 x 0.7 inch
€1,618
Der Bär - Gold - The Bear Gold Leaf Edition
Markus Lüpertz
Sculpture - 40 x 14 x 11 cm Sculpture - 15.7 x 5.5 x 4.3 inch
€15,000
Egg girl in green
Suthamma (Ta) Byrne
Painting - 50 x 40 x 2 cm Painting - 19.7 x 15.7 x 0.8 inch
€1,400