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

To meet the nightflower

L'Espace

Existence 4

Puzzle park

Woman's Right

Manufactura 3

Mare nostrum sea ocean blue miror

RX93M n°24

Secret Invasion

Twickenham Streaker

Amazing Spiderman

Love Meeples

Chartres dans les colzas

Little Gulliver

Sirène

Némésis

Uncanny X-Force

Plymouth Gin Distillery, the Barbican Plymouth

Primorsko

Pin-up à la cigarette

Eléphantasme organique

Collage construit

Post Mortem VI

Gallinacean III

Old country houses - Tuscany landscape painting

Plan métro "City of Graffitty"

Sourire au clair d'un sourire

Tango

Villa Adriana III

Untitled (Temple)

Landscape sketch 87

Landscape 137

Born Savage

Symphonie verticale

Hombre de la Luna

La magrana 3

La magrana 4

La magrana 2

Huir por las esquinas y encerrarse en los

Asesinado por el cielo, entre las formas que van

A la izquierda, a la derecha, por el sur y por el norte

A tu violencia granate, sordomudos en la penumbra

Con una cuchara de palo

Ensayo

Une nuit noire

Amy Winehouse, do it with style

La Confianza

Deux bleus sur noir

Théorèmes #1

Résistant

Cloned Griffon Bruxellois With Pet Bottle

Cloned Griffon Bruxellois with Pet Bottle

Autoportrait II

Zirkulationszeit: Meerengel Robbe II

Landscape sketch 24

Landscape sketch 14

Landscape 88

Viejo maestro

Ciel 12

Mémoire de JingDeZhen

Solitude

Mémoire de JingDeZhen

Mémoire de JingDeZhen

Mémoire de JingDeZhen

Finestres 8

Finestres 1