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

Subconscious No. 2

Saturday Night with Karen Kilimnik and Elizabeth Peyton

1964 Rouge gris LETTRISME Red Grey

Madeleine Bernard

Recline (Aquarelle 1 - Composition - 27 septembre 2014)

Paysage II

Imagined destinations, Old tree ( Vieil arbre )

Imagined destinations, Underwater ( Sous l’eau )

Imagined destinations, Winter (L'hiver)

Imagined destinations, Night (Nuit)

Reticulus 2

PF-B - Série Influences d'Asie

Emotion-20240115

Moon N°3

Dirty magic

The Alchemist

Si t'as pas de jambes, t'as la tête !

Last snow

Between black and white

Passage 4

Passage 2

Grand Canal, vu du Rialto

Conversation à la Giudecca

Summerday at Lake of Liepnitz near Berlin

The threshold

Baba

Winter

Coke

Lily No. 6

Lily No. 5

Lily No. 4

Swallow No. 49

Méditation bleue

Grackle No. 2

Whiskered Treeswift

Josep Maria Codina abstract 2018 mixed technique on paper

The Trumpeter Calls

Yellow offside - Polo - Pologame - Hermès couleur - Ralph Lauren spirit

Caballo galopando

Hibiscus No. 7

Floral no. 25

Bonus Dream style

Regard profond

Rose study no. 63

Rose study no. 64

Rose study no. 65

Porcelaine

Le bas résile

Orchid No. 19

Beauty on veil

Geisha royale

Doux regard de soie

Rose No. 6

The Floral Lady

Sunrise Seascape

Rêves dorés

Untitled 71

Pichincha Street

Mundus

Untitled 46

Vanity Fair Magazine Call Me Caitlyn Cover

Recline - Aqua - Composition - Août 2013

Recline - Aqua - Composition - Juillet 2013

Recline - Aqua 1 - 25 novembre 2014

Recline (Aquarelle - Composition 1 - 6 juin 2021)

Pont Alexandre 3 à Paris