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 the sky in his special blue
Lieven D'Haese
Sculpture - 43 x 30 x 30 cm Sculpture - 16.9 x 11.8 x 11.8 inch
$8,106
Overwhelmed - Format S
Deborah Zuanazzi
Photography - 40 x 40 x 1 cm Photography - 15.7 x 15.7 x 0.4 inch
$715
Caleidoscopio
Amancio Gonzalez
Sculpture - 41 x 30 x 20 cm Sculpture - 16.1 x 11.8 x 7.9 inch
$5,126
Bowie Space Oddity
Mick Rock
Photography - 50 x 40 x 0.1 cm Photography - 19.7 x 15.7 x 0 inch
$2,933
Le cordonnier (pour les Fables de la Fontaine)
Marc Chagall
Print - 29.5 x 24 x 0.2 cm Print - 11.6 x 9.4 x 0.1 inch
$3,100
The Magic Hidden In The Portraits
Ya-Wei Li
Painting - 45 x 35 x 4 cm Painting - 17.7 x 13.8 x 1.6 inch
$2,384
Serait-Ce Vous ?
Sandra Detourbet
Painting - 44.5 x 32.5 x 2 cm Painting - 17.5 x 12.8 x 0.8 inch
$656
Dreaming Muse #2
Lilit Soghomonyan
Painting - 50 x 50 x 2 cm Painting - 19.7 x 19.7 x 0.8 inch
$1,907
The Last Sitting - Marilyn Looking at You
Bert Stern
Photography - 48 x 33 x 1 cm Photography - 18.9 x 13 x 0.4 inch
$3,570
El patrón
Teo Franco
Fine Art Drawings - 42 x 29.7 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 16.5 x 11.7 x 0 inch
$656
Ironía
Teo Franco
Fine Art Drawings - 42 x 29.7 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 16.5 x 11.7 x 0 inch
$656
Aún perdura el recuerdo
Teo Franco
Fine Art Drawings - 42 x 29.7 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 16.5 x 11.7 x 0 inch
$656
El secreto
Teo Franco
Fine Art Drawings - 42 x 29.7 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 16.5 x 11.7 x 0 inch
$656
Perfect Stranger (The One Time Encounter)
Ephraim Udoka
Fine Art Drawings - 41.9 x 29 x 2.5 cm Fine Art Drawings - 16.5 x 11.4 x 1 inch
$850
Innocence in the Fields
Armen Vahramyan
Painting - 30 x 30 x 2 cm Painting - 11.8 x 11.8 x 0.8 inch
$600 $480
Kevinours Love Keny Arkana X Shadee K
Priscilla Vettese
Painting - 41 x 33 x 2 cm Painting - 16.1 x 13 x 0.8 inch
$227
Fabrice Emaer et top modèle
Arnaud Baumann
Photography - 30 x 45 x 0.1 cm Photography - 11.8 x 17.7 x 0 inch
$1,133
Plaque autportrait
César Baldaccini
Sculpture - 45 x 45 x 7 cm Sculpture - 17.7 x 17.7 x 2.8 inch
$19,074
Sans-titre
Bernard Noël
Fine Art Drawings - 38 x 28 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 15 x 11 x 0 inch
$715
Tête du 16 octobre 1987
Bernard Noël
Fine Art Drawings - 32.5 x 24 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 12.8 x 9.4 x 0 inch
$715
Tête du 15 octobre 1987
Bernard Noël
Fine Art Drawings - 32.5 x 25 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 12.8 x 9.8 x 0 inch
$715
16 fév. 88
Bernard Noël
Fine Art Drawings - 34 x 24 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 13.4 x 9.4 x 0 inch
$715
30 mai 88
Bernard Noël
Fine Art Drawings - 34 x 24 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 13.4 x 9.4 x 0 inch
$715
Robert Hebert Percy. From the Art, culture & society series
Manuel Santelices
Painting - 35.6 x 27.9 x 0.3 cm Painting - 14 x 11 x 0.1 inch
$1,200
Les photographes
Arnaud Baumann
Photography - 30 x 45 x 0.1 cm Photography - 11.8 x 17.7 x 0 inch
$1,133
Avec panache
Martine Fauve Dechavanne
Painting - 30 x 23 x 1 cm Painting - 11.8 x 9.1 x 0.4 inch
$584
La romancière et ses chats
Martine Fauve Dechavanne
Painting - 30 x 30 x 2 cm Painting - 11.8 x 11.8 x 0.8 inch
$453
Les menottes
Arnaud Baumann
Photography - 30 x 45 x 0.1 cm Photography - 11.8 x 17.7 x 0 inch
$1,133
Crâne pour carnaval
Arnaud Baumann
Photography - 45 x 30 x 0.1 cm Photography - 17.7 x 11.8 x 0 inch
$1,133
Des livres et moi - chapitre 8
Ender
Painting - 40 x 30 x 3 cm Painting - 15.7 x 11.8 x 1.2 inch
$1,133
Carrie Bradshaw in the kitchen with a hat
Manuel Santelices
Fine Art Drawings - 22.9 x 30.5 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 9 x 12 x 0.1 inch
$700
Arlequine aux yeux bleus
Martine Fauve Dechavanne
Painting - 30 x 24 x 2 cm Painting - 11.8 x 9.4 x 0.8 inch
$417
The complete set of 10 lithograp of La Féerie et le Royaume
Marc Chagall
Print - 31.2 x 23.4 x 4 cm Print - 12.3 x 9.2 x 1.6 inch
$12,875
L’indien libre, le rêve et le cheval
De Caso Michel
Painting - 38 x 46 x 1.5 cm Painting - 15 x 18.1 x 0.6 inch
$775
Party Girl
Joanna Zakrzewska-Cholewa
Sculpture - 26 x 6.3 x 5 cm Sculpture - 10.2 x 2.5 x 2 inch
$1,419
Best of Both Worlds 4
Marian Williams
Painting - 30 x 30 x 0.5 cm Painting - 11.8 x 11.8 x 0.2 inch
$236
Jazz au féminin
Martine Fauve Dechavanne
Painting - 30 x 30 x 2 cm Painting - 11.8 x 11.8 x 0.8 inch
$477
Earing Girl & Basquiat
Dervis Akdemir
Sculpture - 50 x 46 x 32 cm Sculpture - 19.7 x 18.1 x 12.6 inch
$1,905
Lighted Medusa Neon Design
Dervis Akdemir
Sculpture - 50 x 25 x 25 cm Sculpture - 19.7 x 9.8 x 9.8 inch
$1,058
Mono Lisa in Pop Art Life
Dervis Akdemir
Sculpture - 50 x 35 x 25 cm Sculpture - 19.7 x 13.8 x 9.8 inch
$1,764
Par dessus des fleurs
Mathilde André
Painting - 31 x 40 x 2 cm Painting - 12.2 x 15.7 x 0.8 inch
$715
Hercules’ first labor
Dervis Akdemir
Sculpture - 49 x 32 x 15 cm Sculpture - 19.3 x 12.6 x 5.9 inch
$282
Golden goddess Isis
Dervis Akdemir
Sculpture - 32 x 21 x 8 cm Sculpture - 12.6 x 8.3 x 3.1 inch
$169
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
Golden gaze: The design skull sculpture
Dervis Akdemir
Sculpture - 46 x 26 x 20 cm Sculpture - 18.1 x 10.2 x 7.9 inch
$494
Winged wonder Hermes god sculpture
Dervis Akdemir
Sculpture - 41 x 18 x 15 cm Sculpture - 16.1 x 7.1 x 5.9 inch
$282