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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Categories

Subcategories

Small

Portrait

Portrait

Maya

The scream II

Chapeau 2

Bahiya

Swing 5

Zèbre

Cuckoo bird

Monstre

Etude

Jean-Marc Barr

John Boorman

Le mec

Raymond Devos

Les Nuls en Ripolin

Spike Lee

Sean Connery

Tom Novembre

Terence Stamp

Werner Herzog

Pierre Desproges

The guardian

Abbé Pierre

Blue velvet

Green leaves matter

Willem Dafoe

Positive posture II

Cloudy B

Au creux de ton épaule, on sème

Petite femme au voile orange

Untitled 190

Untitled 262

Cocktail Apple F2

Portrait

Portriat

Portrait

New fashion

Patty

Gemma

Se retourner

Brise d'été

Tribute to Max Ernst

Le Message

Le funanbule 2

Sunkissed

Barstow City Limits

Green portrait

La bouche ouverte

Fragile

Rue Mouffetard

Barman danseur

Bustier Issey Miyake

Madame

The dancer portrait

Princesse

David Lynch bien coiffé

Autoportrait à 45 ans

Monsieur Pipi Au Naturel (Le Palace)

Clean Slate Brown

Twilight Vortex

Crimson Serenity (1)

Romantic dreams

Family Black

Romantic woman

Le baiser