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

Zone 1

Vigoureux

Tenter de comprendre Picasso XVIII

Tenter de comprendre Picasso XVI

Tenter de comprendre Picasso XIX

Tenter de comprendre Picasso II

Tuifua

Soyeux

Sentir autrement

Rey

Rainette

Pro Thèse

Lord Daniel

Ben le tueur

Madame Edwarda. Paris: Georges Visat

Laguna Canyon

Le retour du petit bancal

Buste pur sang lusitanien

The dance of affection

Etude de scène musicale

Le dernier venu

Genèse 1987 Genesis

Landscape

Trail after Snow Day

Lost in Time

Diablo

Veules les roses Bretagne

Falaises Quiberville sur mer

Parc Ostréicole Île d'Oléron

Léviathan

Igbo

Félix

Exil

Douceurs

Crochet du droit

Crazy

Clarkin

On the shore

Topography 7

Topography 5

Woman at work

Harbor serenity

Landscape (1)

Hidden lake

Chère soeur

Queue de cheval

Shore. Niforeika. Peloponnese

Maslenitsa. Farewell to winter. 17th century

In the Crimean mountains

Sans titre

Sans titre

Sans titre

Steve McQueen

Beach in Forio. Ischia

Pink color. Kolomenskoye

Exquisite seduction

Violine seduction

Red taurus

April evening in the village of Klykovo

Thought About You

Voyage entre deux mondes

Osito

Je m'en vais

Untitled

Untitled

Untitled