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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The Self 16
Neerja Chandna Peters
Painting - 50.8 x 40.6 x 0.3 cm Painting - 20 x 16 x 0.1 inch
$2,400
Invisible Narratives 8.
Petr Strnad
Fine Art Drawings - 30 x 40 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.8 x 15.7 x 0 inch
$380
Portrait
Jean Cocteau
Fine Art Drawings - 26.67 x 19.43 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 10.5 x 7.6 x 0.4 inch
$8,304
Have I Told You Lately?
Kathy Bradshaw
Painting - 46 x 46 x 4 cm Painting - 18.1 x 18.1 x 1.6 inch
$664
Girl at the table
Butkovsky Nikolai
Painting - 40 x 35 x 2 cm Painting - 15.7 x 13.8 x 0.8 inch
$783
Untitled
Jérôme Mesnager
Fine Art Drawings - 40.3 x 26 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 15.9 x 10.2 x 0.1 inch
$712
Vibrations 3
Jean-François Contremoulin
Painting - 50 x 50 x 2 cm Painting - 19.7 x 19.7 x 0.8 inch
$783
Colombe blanche White Dove
Zanoarisoa Rajaona
Print - 29.5 x 19.5 x 0.5 cm Print - 11.6 x 7.7 x 0.2 inch
$1,091
Framed Color Face II
Jens-Christian Wittig
Painting - 50.8 x 50.8 x 2.5 cm Painting - 20 x 20 x 1 inch
$4,500
Ice cream richie
Alec Monopoly
Sculpture - 30 x 30 x 20 cm Sculpture - 11.8 x 11.8 x 7.9 inch
$2,669
Spring scent
Rumiana Rusinova
Sculpture - 34.5 x 14.5 x 9.5 cm Sculpture - 13.6 x 5.7 x 3.7 inch
$2,491
Le port de Brigneau, Bretagne réf: CPBD1033
Lucien Gondret
Painting - 38 x 46 x 2 cm Painting - 15 x 18.1 x 0.8 inch
$771
Walden 7, Serie V - Limited Edition
Arantza NT Photography
Photography - 30 x 20 x 0.5 cm Photography - 11.8 x 7.9 x 0.2 inch
$142
Dante's Reflection
Aghvan Sahakyan
Sculpture - 38 x 24 x 24 cm Sculpture - 15 x 9.4 x 9.4 inch
$3,000
Frau - Woman
Stephan Balkenhol
Sculpture - 32 x 10 x 10 cm Sculpture - 12.6 x 3.9 x 3.9 inch
$11,270
Sculpture Ethnie - Femme africaine orange rouge caramel avec bébé devant
Atelier Piquifou
Sculpture - 44 x 10 x 5 cm Sculpture - 17.3 x 3.9 x 2 inch
$593
Gato de vuelta
Josep Marí Sintes
Fine Art Drawings - 26 x 33 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 10.2 x 13 x 0 inch
$790
Exoplanet #39 (Portrait of a Pupil) (Abduction)
Barbara Fragogna
Painting - 50 x 45 x 2 cm Painting - 19.7 x 17.7 x 0.8 inch
$2,847
Untitled
Agustín Fructuoso
Fine Art Drawings - 28.5 x 37.5 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.2 x 14.8 x 0 inch
$712
Onelineflopstyle N°9
Bertram Trabhardt-Oaz
Painting - 50 x 50 x 2 cm Painting - 19.7 x 19.7 x 0.8 inch
$925
Paradis perdu, âme dévorée
Blu_451
Fine Art Drawings - 38 x 29 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 15 x 11.4 x 0.4 inch
$534
Donald Duck and Le Petit Ecolier, Early 20th Century Oil on Board by Pierre Villain
Pierre Villain
Painting - 37.5 x 45.5 x 2 cm Painting - 14.8 x 17.9 x 0.8 inch
$740
L'ange sur collage
Mathieu 1976
Fine Art Drawings - 29 x 20 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.4 x 7.9 x 0.4 inch
$949
Drawing For Sewing, for a Prayer
Kyung-Sup Byun
Painting - 30 x 30 x 3 cm Painting - 11.8 x 11.8 x 1.2 inch
$1,068
Untitled (PEN 04)
Atom Hovhanesyan
Fine Art Drawings - 45.7 x 40.6 x 0.05 cm Fine Art Drawings - 18 x 16 x 0 inch
$80,000
Les chemins du silence n°2 - série Paysage et forêt
Ursula Durr-Land
Painting - 50 x 50 x 4 cm Painting - 19.7 x 19.7 x 1.6 inch
$676
Soleil, Mer Et Poissons
Mercedes Aparicio
Painting - 35 x 35 x 1.7 cm Painting - 13.8 x 13.8 x 0.7 inch
$2,847
Verdolini il Celebre Masseur
Nicola Simbari
Fine Art Drawings - 30 x 22.5 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.8 x 8.9 x 0 inch
$890
When Boys Become Men
Roberto Fernando Salmon
Painting - 40.5 x 32 x 2.4 cm Painting - 15.9 x 12.6 x 0.9 inch
$593
