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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Small

85

Ailleurs

M. Le Minsitre

Big Brother (Letterpress)

Simpson

Cleaning The Ship

Plan de métro Panthère rose

Dope 25

Famous PB

Titi JO 2024

Love

Dirty container

Something to lick mini #027

Oeil Fou

Je Te Vois

Ephémères colorés (N° Inédit)

Faire d'un mot le bel amant d'une phrase

Grimpette

Kourbettes

Off Topic

I'm Sorry Mona Lisa

Fade Away And Radiate

Plan de métro Felix le chat

Batman

Plan de métro la panthère rose(1)

Hendrix

Close to you

Beware of the cat

Hay Café

Plan de métro Schtroumpf

Too much cat

The 50

Colors mood

Mondrian mood

The Art of Conversation with Marry Poppins

Infiltrations

Rainbow Cloud

Follow the heart

Acquisition

20 Décembre

Wanted

Rajao (Réhaussé / Hand-Embellished)

Soul

Goofy à L'institut du Monde Arabe

Génie Aladin

Hollow Black

Métro caméra

Picsou (plan du métro de Paris)

Idéfix (plan du métro de Paris)

Hanoi 1-06

Wolverine

Graffiti

L'art est un jeu d'enfant

Plan de métro Picsou

Plaque de métro Le petit prince

Plaque de métro La panthère rose

Wild Kong tagged

Strong

Tired

Angel Paris

The grey Mustang

Mais où est Colombo ?

My French Bulldog is Happy

Bugs Adidas

Fireworks

Munny Cameleon