
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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Commission for Melissa 50 lance
Marilyn Kalish
Painting - 40.6 x 30.5 x 0.3 cm Painting - 16 x 12 x 0.1 inch
$315

Luke McAlister
Clément Poitrenaud
Photography - 30 x 30 x 0.1 cm Photography - 11.8 x 11.8 x 0 inch
$1,305


Paul Eluard (Un poème dans chaque livre Paul Eluard) Ref BDNW2922
Valentine Hugo
Print - 47 x 32 cm Print - 18.5 x 12.6 inch
$2,966


Appareil photo Création Christer Hamp L'homme à la moustache, 1995
Christer Hamp
Photography - 30 x 21 cm Photography - 11.8 x 8.3 inch
$1,174

Sans titre
Margaux Fontaine
Fine Art Drawings - 42 x 30 x 2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 16.5 x 11.8 x 0.8 inch
$190

Femme Disciple de Socrate 1970 Woman Socrates Disciple
A. Brandi Isca
Print - 28 x 38 x 0.3 cm Print - 11 x 15 x 0.1 inch
$1,180

Le Petit Prince revisite Keith Haring
Sokar
Print - 45 x 32 x 0.5 cm Print - 17.7 x 12.6 x 0.2 inch
$415

Sans Titre
Jean-François Spricigo
Photography - 27.5 x 27.5 x 1 cm Photography - 10.8 x 10.8 x 0.4 inch
$2,847





Uppercut
Herve Malcom Thomas
Fine Art Drawings - 40 x 30 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 15.7 x 11.8 x 0 inch
$285

The Geometry of Consciousness 1
Ramóna Csendes
Painting - 45 x 45 x 3 cm Painting - 17.7 x 17.7 x 1.2 inch
$1,839


Untitled
José María Mijares
Fine Art Drawings - 21.75 x 47.625 x 2.54 cm Fine Art Drawings - 8.6 x 18.8 x 1 inch
$6,000

Portrait de Sophie
Sylvie Bourely
Sculpture - 43 x 30 x 21 cm Sculpture - 16.9 x 11.8 x 8.3 inch
$4,389



Portrait de femme amérindienne
Edouard Morerod
Fine Art Drawings - 31 x 20 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 12.2 x 7.9 x 0.1 inch
$2,323

Sans titre
Bazooka Joe
Fine Art Drawings - 32 x 40 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 12.6 x 15.7 x 0 inch
$1,780

Et puis une fois, vos yeux
Blu_451
Painting - 29 x 20 x 1 cm Painting - 11.4 x 7.9 x 0.4 inch
$534 $480


La Mère Fénollan (la Mère marchande)
Edouard Eugène Vallet
Fine Art Drawings - 37 x 23 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 14.6 x 9.1 x 0.1 inch
$1,244




Fille et voler
Maria Jose Subirachs
Painting - 40 x 30 x 0.05 cm Painting - 15.7 x 11.8 x 0 inch
$475

Mariana Mirage
Nicolas V Sanchez
Fine Art Drawings - 43.2 x 35.6 x 3.8 cm Fine Art Drawings - 17 x 14 x 1.5 inch
$5,000

All Mixed Up
Danny J. Martinez Van Dame One
Painting - 30 x 24 x 4 cm Painting - 11.8 x 9.4 x 1.6 inch
$3,440


Portrait of Italo Balbo
Marco Novati
Sculpture - 44 x 30 x 32 cm Sculpture - 17.3 x 11.8 x 12.6 inch
$8,304 $5,813

Champin de Lyon et son perroquet - Portrait figuratif
Christiane Barlow-Couderc
Painting - 27 x 46 x 2.5 cm Painting - 10.6 x 18.1 x 1 inch
$445

In the time of dreaming
Francesca Miotto
Painting - 40 x 30 x 2 cm Painting - 15.7 x 11.8 x 0.8 inch
$1,424



Gabriel García Márquez Portrait
Hernan Diaz
Photography - 39.4 x 29.2 x 0.3 cm Photography - 15.5 x 11.5 x 0.1 inch
$3,000


Sèrie Albades. Albada 02
Oriol Texidor
Painting - 37.5 x 15 x 2 cm Painting - 14.8 x 5.9 x 0.8 inch
$552

Roitelet couronné
Jean-Pierre Ceytaire
Painting - 33 x 46 x 2 cm Painting - 13 x 18.1 x 0.8 inch
$3,084

#6 Grethe - Série: Woman on wood, portrait de femme
Affagard
Fine Art Drawings - 30 x 30 x 2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.8 x 11.8 x 0.8 inch
$374




Patways to bliss 1
Alina Papazova
Fine Art Drawings - 25 x 35 x 0.5 cm Fine Art Drawings - 9.8 x 13.8 x 0.2 inch
$237



Untitled #10 From Los Infortunios De La Virtud Series
Armando de la Garza
Sculpture - 26.9 x 14 x 9.9 cm Sculpture - 10.6 x 5.5 x 3.9 inch
$2,500


Chinese Interior #1
Robert van der Hilst
Photography - 42 x 49 cm Photography - 16.5 x 19.3 inch
$2,135



Portrait of man
Pierre Emile Lelong
Painting - 29 x 27 x 0.1 cm Painting - 11.4 x 10.6 x 0 inch
$569






Jeune fille
Alfred Defossez
Fine Art Drawings - 30.5 x 22.7 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 12 x 8.9 x 0 inch
$297

Portrait
Jean Lasnier
Fine Art Drawings - 30 x 24 x 0.4 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.8 x 9.4 x 0.2 inch
$475



Woman
Dimitri Godycki Cwirko
Fine Art Drawings - 41.5 x 26.5 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 16.3 x 10.4 x 0 inch
$1,174



Messi
Sergio Lazo
Fine Art Drawings - 35.6 x 27.9 x 2.5 cm Fine Art Drawings - 14 x 11 x 1 inch
$1,260


Paul, Musée des rencontres
Mathias Augustyniak
Print - 38 x 29 x 0.1 cm Print - 15 x 11.4 x 0 inch
$297

Valet de la comtesse
Tadeusz Kantor
Fine Art Drawings - 29.7 x 21 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.7 x 8.3 x 0 inch
$4,983

Untitled drawing
Clemens Briels
Fine Art Drawings - 27.9 x 26.7 x 0.5 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11 x 10.5 x 0.2 inch
$1,200

Woman
Cesare Bentivoglio
Fine Art Drawings - 50 x 39 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 19.7 x 15.4 x 0 inch
$2,729

La touareg du Sahara
Ellis Zbinden
Painting - 50 x 42 x 0.1 cm Painting - 19.7 x 16.5 x 0 inch
$3,559

Eclosion N°1 - Représentation imaginaire stylisée
Christelle Maria
Fine Art Drawings - 28.5 x 20.5 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.2 x 8.1 x 0 inch
$326






Moses Soyer Daydream
Moses Soyer
Fine Art Drawings - 27.9 x 43.2 x 5.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11 x 17 x 2 inch
$4,400

Chirurgie plastique en pratique
Julien Wolf
Sculpture - 36 x 25 x 23 cm Sculpture - 14.2 x 9.8 x 9.1 inch
$4,627

Le vendeur de rue
Edouard Menta
Painting - 46.5 x 38.5 x 0.5 cm Painting - 18.3 x 15.2 x 0.2 inch
$3,402

Back to basic
Massimiliano Pelletti
Sculpture - 15 x 40 x 20 cm Sculpture - 5.9 x 15.7 x 7.9 inch
$18,981

Le signe des temps
Jean Gourmelin
Fine Art Drawings - 40 x 30 x 0.2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 15.7 x 11.8 x 0.1 inch
$475

Theatrical Costume
Simone Vaulpre
Fine Art Drawings - 33.5 x 25 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 13.2 x 9.8 x 0.1 inch
$475

Nina (Scène galante)
Gérard Pamboujian
Fine Art Drawings - 40 x 40 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 15.7 x 15.7 x 0 inch
$475


