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

Untitled 754

Untitled 743

Volcan fumée orange

Bean in jungle

La Côte d'Azur

Cherry Blossom No. 36

Home

Purification

Hear the Silence

Spiritual Sobornost

Liberated Forest: Red Carnival versus White Elegy

The Commute

Sea III

URBN City Mixed Media I

Anna Cleveland as Rita de Acosta in Thom Browne

Autumn Nocturne 20241022

Tagadasbtract signed

Messenger of love and life

Passage 5

Lotus 8

Fleur 19

Fruits

Nature morte II

Bird

Paysage 603

Oiseau

City Innsbruck, Austria

Awakening No. 2

Summer party at the Hoyt House

Le jardin des lépidoptères

Green (men)

Biology 8 | Aquarelle Abstraite

Metamorphoses of a collective effervescence

Buddha of Richmond Castle

Untitled

Untitled

Untitled

Les pieds dans l’eau, la tête ailleurs

Les montagnes roses

Fleurs noires

La côte rose

Village de campagne

The Old and the Young

The General

Jane Forth & Jed and Jay Johnson in NY in 1970

Lauren in Balenciaga. From the Fashion series

Sunset sur lac

Forest fruits

Jungle Orange & Jaune sur noir

Berger contemplatif

Sunset jungle

Dreamer

Untitled 255

Untitled 253

Untitled 251

HB (Cassé)

F, 2024

5H

Nature Collection Sketch No. 1

Saint-Paul de Vence

Blosssom #02-3121

When in a blur, make things brighter

The Kiss

Peter Hujar Portrait

Marc's blue shadow

Harry Brant in Connecticut