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…

Search by Image

Save your search and find it in your favorites

6/52 1 4 5 6 7 8 10 20 30 40 50 52

Categories

Subcategories

Small

Pop Snoopy

Hay Café

Warm lines

Blue & Green Sheep

Les toits éclairés par la lune

Flashe

Just rainy-L

Imagination play-I

Autumn-XIII

Marsfeld CXXVIII

Raw Complete Collection

Abri provençal

Head

Hana04_5062

Lumière côtière

Rainbow Cloud

Abstract 10

Seeing Voices 4

Seeing Voices 3

Seeing Voices 6

Seeing Voices 5

Kringel Helllila / Neonorange

Fragments of Silence

Tiger T

Orange Shape

Para Kiti Dob

Geisha ll

La douceur d'Aix en Provence

City and Light

Modern 6.

Golden Layers

Deep Blue Green Flowers

Illuminated Green -Sculpture with Lampshade

3 carrés

Incarnadine

Expression 28.

Car Wash, Brooklyn, Ny

Aquarium at Coney Island, Ny

Joe's Barn, New York

Flag and Bench, Connecticut

Caustic

Force et douceur

La louve à l'enfant

The Poetic Musician

Ectoplasme

Incandescent

Astrocytes

Silent magic

Wavy Olive

N181

Portrait de classe 20

Portrait de classe 19

Portrait de classe 18

Portrait de classe 17

Portrait de classe 16

Clover

Sicario

A little light

Totem Doubles Nébuleuses 2

Sunny Day II

Golden Shadows

La baie des lecques

Herta Berlin Supporters

Ocean view

From the series The A Lightness 3 - minimalism monochromatic abstractions

Jazzy mood-LXXVIII

Fireworks

Something to lick mini #031