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…
Save your search and find it in your favorites
Save your search to find it quickly
Saved search
Your search is accessible from the favorites tab > My favorite searches
Unsaved search
A problem occurred
Bats
Mino Maccari
Fine Art Drawings - 29 x 21 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.4 x 8.3 x 0.1 inch
$694
Visions of the Unseen
Harutyun Aghajanyan
Painting - 40 x 40 x 2 cm Painting - 15.7 x 15.7 x 0.8 inch
$380 $304
Renaissance bleue
Bernard Métranve
Sculpture - 37 x 28 x 18 cm Sculpture - 14.6 x 11 x 7.1 inch
$1,907
Tree of Life
Jaromir Gargulak
Sculpture - 42.5 x 20 x 15 cm Sculpture - 16.7 x 7.9 x 5.9 inch
$3,468
It might rain
Alisa Onipchenko-Cherniakovska
Painting - 35 x 45 x 2 cm Painting - 13.8 x 17.7 x 0.8 inch
$900
The Old and Soldier
Mino Maccari
Fine Art Drawings - 21 x 30 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 8.3 x 11.8 x 0.1 inch
$578
Gardener
Mino Maccari
Fine Art Drawings - 29 x 21 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.4 x 8.3 x 0.1 inch
$694
Interrogation EA3/4
Bernard Métranve
Sculpture - 38 x 30 x 11 cm Sculpture - 15 x 11.8 x 4.3 inch
$5,317
Algeria! Algeria!
Christine Drummond
Painting - 45.7 x 45.7 x 2.5 cm Painting - 18 x 18 x 1 inch
$2,600
Cloned Marmot with pet bottle
William Sweetlove
Sculpture - 36 x 26 x 20 cm Sculpture - 14.2 x 10.2 x 7.9 inch
$6,357
Kringel Dunkellila / Orange-Pink
Selçuk Dizlek
Sculpture - 35 x 34 x 6 cm Sculpture - 13.8 x 13.4 x 2.4 inch
$2,081
Para que los cocodrilos duerman en largas filas
Josep Guinovart
Print - 47 x 49 cm Print - 18.5 x 19.3 inch
$462
Xenestela 7. From The Series Xenestela
Fredy Saul Serrano
Painting - 45 x 45 x 0.3 cm Painting - 17.7 x 17.7 x 0.1 inch
$1,100
Xenestela 6. From The Series Xenestela
Fredy Saul Serrano
Painting - 45 x 45 x 0.3 cm Painting - 17.7 x 17.7 x 0.1 inch
$1,100
Xenestela 5. From The Series Xenestela
Fredy Saul Serrano
Painting - 45 x 45 x 0.3 cm Painting - 17.7 x 17.7 x 0.1 inch
$1,100
Equilibre céleste - Celestial equilibrium
Nef
Painting - 42 x 29.7 cm Painting - 16.5 x 11.7 inch
$231
Feline Spatial Concept: A Tribute to Fontana
Victo
Painting - 30 x 30 x 4 cm Painting - 11.8 x 11.8 x 1.6 inch
$1,000 $900
Small Gypsy Girl 22
Tiberiu Soos
Painting - 40 x 40 x 4 cm Painting - 15.7 x 15.7 x 1.6 inch
$289 $225
Small Gypsy Girl 21
Tiberiu Soos
Painting - 40 x 40 x 4 cm Painting - 15.7 x 15.7 x 1.6 inch
$289 $225
Là-haut, au delà des étoiles
Bernard Métranve
Sculpture - 32 x 29.5 x 26 cm Sculpture - 12.6 x 11.6 x 10.2 inch
$1,722
Flight of Colors
Seyran Gasparyan
Painting - 30 x 24 x 2 cm Painting - 11.8 x 9.4 x 0.8 inch
$250 $200
White Red - 7553
Renato Spagnoli
Painting - 50 x 50 x 0.2 cm Painting - 19.7 x 19.7 x 0.1 inch
$1,503
Figure
Robert Luis Nicoidski
Fine Art Drawings - 29.5 x 17.5 x 0.5 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.6 x 6.9 x 0.2 inch
$740
Les patineuses
Danielle Le Bricquir
Painting - 50 x 50 x 1 cm Painting - 19.7 x 19.7 x 0.4 inch
$694
A2 canale di burano
Mario Domenicale
Painting - 25 x 35 x 0.2 cm Painting - 9.8 x 13.8 x 0.1 inch
$208
Grand Cavalier Bleu
Bernard Métranve
Sculpture - 47 x 26 x 24 cm Sculpture - 18.5 x 10.2 x 9.4 inch
$1,618
Etrangère Brune
Bernard Métranve
Sculpture - 30 x 35 x 18 cm Sculpture - 11.8 x 13.8 x 7.1 inch
$925 $740
White Orange Red 7532
Renato Spagnoli
Painting - 50 x 50 x 0.2 cm Painting - 19.7 x 19.7 x 0.1 inch
$2,196
Paysage d'hiver
Pierre Tal-Coat
Fine Art Drawings - 20 x 30 cm Fine Art Drawings - 7.9 x 11.8 inch
$2,081
The Little Shepherd
Vahe Bagumyan
Painting - 40 x 50 x 2 cm Painting - 15.7 x 19.7 x 0.8 inch
$380 $304
El campesino
James Sparshatt
Photography - 50 x 50 x 1 cm Photography - 19.7 x 19.7 x 0.4 inch
$1,091
Buste de Long John Silver
Christophe Charbonnel
Sculpture - 30 x 21 x 17 cm Sculpture - 11.8 x 8.3 x 6.7 inch
$9,247
Aquarelle graphique 1
Agathe Wagner
Fine Art Drawings - 36 x 46 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 14.2 x 18.1 x 0.4 inch
$925
Aquarelle graphique 5
Agathe Wagner
Fine Art Drawings - 46 x 36 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 18.1 x 14.2 x 0.4 inch
$925
Romeo and Juliet
Miroslava Vrbova-Stefkova
Painting - 50 x 40 x 0.3 cm Painting - 19.7 x 15.7 x 0.1 inch
$982
Aquarelle graphique 6
Agathe Wagner
Fine Art Drawings - 36 x 46 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 14.2 x 18.1 x 0.4 inch
$925
Where there is life, there is hope II
Tamara Bakhshinyan
Painting - 45 x 45 x 2.2 cm Painting - 17.7 x 17.7 x 0.9 inch
$636
El viajero & Compradito (Silver)
Antonio Segui
Sculpture - 20 x 30 x 15 cm Sculpture - 7.9 x 11.8 x 5.9 inch
$6,357
Close to nothing (Blue)
Sophie Derrick
Photography - 42 x 30 x 8 cm Photography - 16.5 x 11.8 x 3.1 inch
$1,647
Close to nothing (Yellow)
Sophie Derrick
Photography - 42 x 30 x 8 cm Photography - 16.5 x 11.8 x 3.1 inch
$1,647
Genesis, la semance
JeanBaptiste Vandenheede
Sculpture - 10.2 x 35.6 x 10.2 cm Sculpture - 4 x 14 x 4 inch
$3,900