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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Painting, Old Paris, Liubou Sas

Liubou Sas

Painting . 50 x 40 x 0.5 cm Painting . 19.7 x 15.7 x 0.2 inch

€3,400

Painting, Soldier & girl Banksy, Spaco

Spaco

Painting . 30 x 30 x 2 cm Painting . 11.8 x 11.8 x 0.8 inch

€190

Painting, Degas Dance, Spaco

Spaco

Painting . 30 x 30 x 2 cm Painting . 11.8 x 11.8 x 0.8 inch

€170

Photography, Mirror, Maciej Leszczynski

Maciej Leszczynski

Photography . 18 x 28 cm Photography . 7.1 x 11 inch

€350

Fine Art Drawings, Femmes 21, Arancha Tejedor

Arancha Tejedor

Fine Art Drawings . 40 x 30 x 0.5 cm Fine Art Drawings . 15.7 x 11.8 x 0.2 inch

€160

Painting, A little angel, Leonid K.

Leonid K.

Painting . 50 x 40 x 2 cm Painting . 19.7 x 15.7 x 0.8 inch

€275

Painting, Windows 031, Roberto Zizzo

Roberto Zizzo

Painting . 40 x 40 x 2 cm Painting . 15.7 x 15.7 x 0.8 inch

€1,600

Painting, Forma luzy color, M. Muro

M. Muro

Painting . 50 x 50 x 2 cm Painting . 19.7 x 19.7 x 0.8 inch

€3,000

Painting, Mon Colvert, Noël Granger

Noël Granger

Painting . 21 x 29 x 0.1 cm Painting . 8.3 x 11.4 x 0 inch

€120

Painting, Beauty of Autumn, Pol Ledent

Pol Ledent

Painting . 31 x 41 x 0.1 cm Painting . 12.2 x 16.1 x 0 inch

€150

Sculpture, Peonza, Fabio Santori

Fabio Santori

Sculpture . 47 x 35 x 63 cm Sculpture . 18.5 x 13.8 x 24.8 inch

€2,500

Painting, Landscape, Sirio Pellegrini

Sirio Pellegrini

Painting . 36 x 42 x 0.5 cm Painting . 14.2 x 16.5 x 0.2 inch

€2,800

Fine Art Drawings, La vie est belle, Tarek

Tarek

Fine Art Drawings . 37.5 x 23.4 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 14.8 x 9.2 x 0 inch

€550

Painting, Natacha, Pol Ledent

Pol Ledent

Painting . 50 x 40 x 2 cm Painting . 19.7 x 15.7 x 0.8 inch

€500

Painting, Winter, Pol Ledent

Pol Ledent

Painting . 50 x 40 x 2 cm Painting . 19.7 x 15.7 x 0.8 inch

€550

Painting, Cave wall, Pol Ledent

Pol Ledent

Painting . 50 x 50 x 2 cm Painting . 19.7 x 19.7 x 0.8 inch

€550

Painting, Battle field, Pol Ledent

Pol Ledent

Painting . 50 x 50 x 2 cm Painting . 19.7 x 19.7 x 0.8 inch

€550

Painting, Old sketches, Pol Ledent

Pol Ledent

Painting . 50 x 50 x 2 cm Painting . 19.7 x 19.7 x 0.8 inch

€550

Painting, Morning, Liubou Sas

Liubou Sas

Painting . 50 x 40 x 2 cm Painting . 19.7 x 15.7 x 0.8 inch

€1,240

Painting, Cold, Wang Dianyu

Wang Dianyu

Painting . 35 x 20 x 3 cm Painting . 13.8 x 7.9 x 1.2 inch

€2,400

Painting, James Cosmo, Brian King

Brian King

Painting . 39.9 x 30 x 1.5 cm Painting . 15.7 x 11.8 x 0.6 inch

€1,094

Painting, Reflexion, Nawel Aubert

Nawel Aubert

Painting . 30 x 30 x 2.5 cm Painting . 11.8 x 11.8 x 1 inch

€220

Painting, Lupo, Tarek

Tarek

Painting . 27 x 19 x 2 cm Painting . 10.6 x 7.5 x 0.8 inch

€220

Painting, It Snowed, Valery Savenets

Valery Savenets

Painting . 30 x 40 x 2 cm Painting . 11.8 x 15.7 x 0.8 inch

€250

Sculpture, Infinity (small), Lili P

Lili P

Sculpture . 47 x 30 x 15 cm Sculpture . 18.5 x 11.8 x 5.9 inch

€2,847

Painting, Mechanism, Pol Ledent

Pol Ledent

Painting . 50 x 50 x 2 cm Painting . 19.7 x 19.7 x 0.8 inch

€550

Sculpture, Aigua III, Teresa Riba

Teresa Riba

Sculpture . 34 x 33 x 14 cm Sculpture . 13.4 x 13 x 5.5 inch

€3,800

Photography, #11, Julien Espiaut

#11

Julien Espiaut

Photography . 29.7 x 21 x 0.1 cm Photography . 11.7 x 8.3 x 0 inch

€190

Sculpture, Des âmes sans vies, Aurel

Aurel

Sculpture . 26 x 11 x 12 cm Sculpture . 10.2 x 4.3 x 4.7 inch

€300

Painting, Twilight Journey, Kamo Ohanyan

Kamo Ohanyan

Painting . 40 x 50 x 2 cm Painting . 15.7 x 19.7 x 0.8 inch

€406 €346

Painting, Il cane, Alexander Daniloff

Alexander Daniloff

Painting . 32 x 24 x 0.1 cm Painting . 12.6 x 9.4 x 0 inch

€180

Painting, Capo Volto, Giuseppe Madonia

Giuseppe Madonia

Painting . 42 x 32 x 0.2 cm Painting . 16.5 x 12.6 x 0.1 inch

€500

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