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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Fine Art Drawings, Untitled, Oswald Aulestia

Untitled

Oswald Aulestia

Fine Art Drawings - 36 x 36 cm Fine Art Drawings - 14.2 x 14.2 inch

£1,930

Photography, Épreuve 3, Zakari Babel

Épreuve 3

Zakari Babel

Photography - 36 x 24 x 0.5 cm Photography - 14.2 x 9.4 x 0.2 inch

£53

Painting, Girl in Red, Selwyn Midgen

Girl in Red

Selwyn Midgen

Painting - 39 x 30 x 4 cm Painting - 15.4 x 11.8 x 1.6 inch

£2,631

Print, Audith Rhodes, Dain

Audith Rhodes

Dain

Print - 30.5 x 25.5 x 2.54 cm Print - 12 x 10 x 1 inch

£1,699

Fine Art Drawings, Été, Marine Walon

Été

Marine Walon

Fine Art Drawings - 30 x 20 x 0.5 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.8 x 7.9 x 0.2 inch

£307

Painting, Diary Notes, Trude Viken

Diary Notes

Trude Viken

Painting - 29.845 x 22.86 x 2 cm Painting - 11.8 x 9 x 0.8 inch

£3,952

Painting, Like a pirate, Debbie Reda

Like a pirate

Debbie Reda

Painting - 34.9 x 27.3 x 2.54 cm Painting - 13.7 x 10.7 x 1 inch

£3,557 £3,023

Fine Art Drawings, La Libia, Gabriele Galantara

La Libia

Gabriele Galantara

Fine Art Drawings - 29 x 24.5 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.4 x 9.6 x 0 inch

£965

Photography, Vigilant, Monica Denevan

Vigilant

Monica Denevan

Photography - 40 x 50 cm Photography - 15.7 x 19.7 inch

£1,350

Sculpture, Victory, Adolfo Wildt

Victory

Adolfo Wildt

Sculpture - 32 x 41 x 16 cm Sculpture - 12.6 x 16.1 x 6.3 inch

£8,332

Print, Clown, Enrico Benaglia

Clown

Enrico Benaglia

Print - 50 x 35 x 0.3 cm Print - 19.7 x 13.8 x 0.1 inch

£281

Fine Art Drawings, Ma petite, Miquel Wert

Ma petite

Miquel Wert

Fine Art Drawings - 40 x 40 cm Fine Art Drawings - 15.7 x 15.7 inch

£1,009

Fine Art Drawings, Untitled, Marcel Gromaire

Untitled

Marcel Gromaire

Fine Art Drawings - 40.5 x 49.5 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 15.9 x 19.5 x 0.1 inch

£6,052

Painting, Untitled, Andrew Tosh

Untitled

Andrew Tosh

Painting - 48 x 33 cm Painting - 18.9 x 13 inch

£351

Sculpture, Lumière, Claude Justamon

Lumière

Claude Justamon

Sculpture - 45 x 25 x 18 cm Sculpture - 17.7 x 9.8 x 7.1 inch

£8,157

Sculpture, Arawn, Elizabeth Cibot

Arawn

Elizabeth Cibot

Sculpture - 36 x 24 x 20 cm Sculpture - 14.2 x 9.4 x 7.9 inch

£5,175

Sculpture, Somptueuse, Déesse

Somptueuse

Déesse

Sculpture - 42 x 7 x 5 cm Sculpture - 16.5 x 2.8 x 2 inch

£434

Sculpture, Homme Un, Jacques Soulard

Homme Un

Jacques Soulard

Sculpture - 33 x 33 x 33 cm Sculpture - 13 x 13 x 13 inch

£11,227

Print, Scissors Hand, Arkane

Scissors Hand

Arkane

Print - 50 x 35 x 1 cm Print - 19.7 x 13.8 x 0.4 inch

£61

Sculpture, La Gaiete, Rietje Geurts

La Gaiete

Rietje Geurts

Sculpture - 43 x 22 x 19 cm Sculpture - 16.9 x 8.7 x 7.5 inch

£5,263

Photography, Hit by a bus, Norman Reedus

Hit by a bus

Norman Reedus

Photography - 20.32 x 25.4 x 1 cm Photography - 8 x 10 x 0.4 inch

£1,316

Painting, Muslim, Lucie Navier

Muslim

Lucie Navier

Painting - 32 x 24 x 0.2 cm Painting - 12.6 x 9.4 x 0.1 inch

£307

Fine Art Drawings, Untitled, Sasho Violetov

Untitled

Sasho Violetov

Fine Art Drawings - 31 x 21.5 x 0.2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 12.2 x 8.5 x 0.1 inch

£386

Fine Art Drawings, Sans, Djess Erdeven

Sans

Djess Erdeven

Fine Art Drawings - 35.5 x 42.5 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 14 x 16.7 x 0.4 inch

£1,053

Photography, Terako, Jacques Bosser

Terako

Jacques Bosser

Photography - 30 x 30 x 0.1 cm Photography - 11.8 x 11.8 x 0 inch

£1,053

Photography, K 51, Sylvie Schambill

K 51

Sylvie Schambill

Photography - 30 x 20 x 0.1 cm Photography - 11.8 x 7.9 x 0 inch

£202

Fine Art Drawings, Woman, Pierre Georges Jeanniot

Woman

Pierre Georges Jeanniot

Fine Art Drawings - 47 x 31 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 18.5 x 12.2 x 0 inch

£395

Painting, Face, Konstantinos Tsachas

Face

Konstantinos Tsachas

Painting - 43.5 x 50 x 2.2 cm Painting - 17.1 x 19.7 x 0.9 inch

£1,403

Sculpture, Izanami, Juliette Clovis

Izanami

Juliette Clovis

Sculpture - 34 x 34 x 27 cm Sculpture - 13.4 x 13.4 x 10.6 inch

£6,008

Photography, Audrey Hepburn, Bridgeman

Audrey Hepburn

Bridgeman

Photography - 30 x 24 x 0.05 cm Photography - 11.8 x 9.4 x 0 inch

£219

Sculpture, Don Quixote, Agenore Fabbri

Don Quixote

Agenore Fabbri

Sculpture - 50 x 20 x 20 cm Sculpture - 19.7 x 7.9 x 7.9 inch

£19,296

Fine Art Drawings, Sans titre, Margaux Fontaine

Sans titre

Margaux Fontaine

Fine Art Drawings - 42 x 30 x 2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 16.5 x 11.8 x 0.8 inch

£140

Print, Bazaar, Deanna Frosini

Bazaar

Deanna Frosini

Print - 30 x 29 x 0.2 cm Print - 11.8 x 11.4 x 0.1 inch

£219

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