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Orografia 8
Josep María Codina
Fine Art Drawings - 30 x 40 x 5 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.8 x 15.7 x 2 inch
£711
Sans titre
Jacques Doucet
Fine Art Drawings - 34 x 24 x 0.2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 13.4 x 9.4 x 0.1 inch
£3,999
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
Vladas Kanciauskas
Sculpture - 39 x 42 x 18 cm Sculpture - 15.4 x 16.5 x 7.1 inch
£2,666
Painter's little helper (blue)
UTN
Painting - 29.7 x 21 x 0.3 cm Painting - 11.7 x 8.3 x 0.1 inch
£222
Las kosas son lo ke son aunke no lo parezka (Things are what they are even if they don't seem like it)
M. M. Calvo
Fine Art Drawings - 21 x 31 cm Fine Art Drawings - 8.3 x 12.2 inch
£800
Learning new dancing styles
James Mutisya
Print - 30 x 30 x 0.1 cm Print - 11.8 x 11.8 x 0 inch
£178
Rehearsal for a landscape IV
Isabel Devos
Photography - 20 x 35 cm Photography - 7.9 x 13.8 inch
£844
Série: photographie concrète numérique - IMG_2148 31.05.2012
Roger Humbert
Photography - 30 x 24 cm Photography - 11.8 x 9.4 inch
£1,600
Lichtreflex - Rotation
Hein Gravenhorst
Photography - 30 x 30 cm Photography - 11.8 x 11.8 inch
£1,333
Guev-Milurius-5
Guevorg Antonyan
Sculpture - 26 x 25 x 20 cm Sculpture - 10.2 x 9.8 x 7.9 inch
£1,422
Dondi flower
Lassana Sarr
Fine Art Drawings - 29.7 x 21 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.7 x 8.3 x 0 inch
£800
Relief en bronze VIII
Max Ernst
Sculpture - 34.2 x 39.2 x 0.2 cm Sculpture - 13.5 x 15.4 x 0.1 inch
£6,043
Nature morte au navets et choux
Luigi Venturi
Painting - 34 x 50 x 1 cm Painting - 13.4 x 19.7 x 0.4 inch
£683
Le violoncelliste
Claude Weisbuch
Fine Art Drawings - 25 x 35 x 3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 9.8 x 13.8 x 1.2 inch
£871
Promenade romantique
Corinne Foucouin
Painting - 38 x 46 x 2 cm Painting - 15 x 18.1 x 0.8 inch
£711
Sans-titre
Marcel Chirnoaga
Fine Art Drawings - 28.5 x 24.5 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.2 x 9.6 inch
£1,111
Fest symphony
Dimitar Mitov - Komshin
Painting - 50 x 50 x 2 cm Painting - 19.7 x 19.7 x 0.8 inch
£1,422
Trunklestiltskins out and about
Gabrielle Pool
Fine Art Drawings - 30 x 40 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.8 x 15.7 x 0 inch
£450
Abstract composition in white
Tonino Maurizi
Sculpture - 28 x 21 x 3 cm Sculpture - 11 x 8.3 x 1.2 inch
£1,111
My Kid Just Ruined My François Pompon
Ziegler T
Sculpture - 18 x 32 x 11 cm Sculpture - 7.1 x 12.6 x 4.3 inch
£533
Cat have a horn
Kraiwit Phothikul
Painting - 50 x 40 x 4 cm Painting - 19.7 x 15.7 x 1.6 inch
£1,777
Homes Without Hands
Adele Moreau
Sculpture - 40.5 x 45 x 8 cm Sculpture - 15.9 x 17.7 x 3.1 inch
£890
Sans nom
Michel Soubeyrand
Fine Art Drawings - 40 x 27 cm Fine Art Drawings - 15.7 x 10.6 inch
£1,111
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…