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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Categories

Subcategories

Small

Timless shadow

Self-Portrait 24.156

Optics 1

Divisions

Unsteady IV

Equilibre

Herbert Bayer

10-10-2

Minimalist Cat on the Run

Courants d'eau

Self-Portrait 24.151

Self-Portrait 24.150

Receptacle #3. From The Vase Series

Receptacle #2. From The Vase Serie

Self-Portrait 24.122

Wall Object #1

Sans titre

Sans titre

Sans titre

Home

Family II giclée art print

Frequency Study (Smile 2)

La branche coupée

Rojo

Bird in the city

Labradorite

Appearance-III

Culbuto - Constellation

Couple de Pont-Aven

Unité V, terre

Unité II

Bleu-bleu

Composition IV

Dialogo nello spazio

Disegni del cielo 8

Dentro il cielo III

Dentro il cielo I

Porta Celeste

Frivolité rouge

Discrètion

Escapade

Bizarre

Influences. (rouge)

Fantaisie

Coeur en miettes

Sin título

To a Woman from Malabar

Sans-Titre

Self-Portrait 20.110

Self-Portrait 24.114

Kundalini B 24.02

Self-Portrait 24.67

ID Forme 01

ID Forme 29

ID Forme 32

ID Forme 31

Untitled

Urban

Cap à l'ouest

Self-Portrait 24.82

Les couleurs d'A.R. 1 : Vénus Anadyomène

Utopia B

Precious land A

Mes petits bonheurs A

Canoë kayak

From The Narrow View

Skate

Volatile en lignes