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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Painting, Pêcheur II, Boxi Chen

Boxi Chen

Painting . 34 x 34 x 1 cm Painting . 13.4 x 13.4 x 0.4 inch

€500

Painting, Village 20, Daozhou Huang

Daozhou Huang

Painting . 30 x 40 x 2 cm Painting . 11.8 x 15.7 x 0.8 inch

€450

Painting, Resonance V, Susan L

Susan L

Painting . 40 x 40 x 4 cm Painting . 15.7 x 15.7 x 1.6 inch

€1,611

Painting, Low sun, Mikel Remak

Mikel Remak

Painting . 38 x 46 x 4 cm Painting . 15 x 18.1 x 1.6 inch

€1,000

Fine Art Drawings, Place des Vosges, Pascal Plazanet

Pascal Plazanet

Fine Art Drawings . 29.5 x 36 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 11.6 x 14.2 x 0 inch

€1,900

Painting, Winter, Jia Yuan Hua

Jia Yuan Hua

Painting . 29 x 20 x 2 cm Painting . 11.4 x 7.9 x 0.8 inch

€1,400

Photography, Birds #6, Karine Nicolleau

Karine Nicolleau

Photography . 30 x 40 x 0.1 cm Photography . 11.8 x 15.7 x 0 inch

€250

Painting, Landscape 137, Li Dongfeng

Li Dongfeng

Painting . 49 x 49 x 1 cm Painting . 19.3 x 19.3 x 0.4 inch

€800

Photography, Appolon Square, Idan Wizen

Idan Wizen

Photography . 20 x 30 x 1 cm Photography . 7.9 x 11.8 x 0.4 inch

€300

Fine Art Drawings, Lake, Dali Nazarishvili

Dali Nazarishvili

Fine Art Drawings . 35.5 x 47.5 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 14 x 18.7 x 0 inch

€1,500

Painting, Village II, Jun Peng Wu

Jun Peng Wu

Painting . 50 x 40 x 1 cm Painting . 19.7 x 15.7 x 0.4 inch

€880

Painting, Landscape 136, Li Dongfeng

Li Dongfeng

Painting . 49 x 49 x 1 cm Painting . 19.3 x 19.3 x 0.4 inch

€800

Painting, Jamaika, Max Zuber

Max Zuber

Painting . 40 x 30 x 3 cm Painting . 15.7 x 11.8 x 1.2 inch

€5,000

Painting, Sea foam, A. Strelov

A. Strelov

Painting . 35 x 50 x 2 cm Painting . 13.8 x 19.7 x 0.8 inch

€949

Painting, Saison IV, Michel Marant

Michel Marant

Painting . 33 x 31 x 1 cm Painting . 13 x 12.2 x 0.4 inch

€450

Painting, N3, Florence Malcombe

N3

Florence Malcombe

Painting . 29.7 x 21 x 2 cm Painting . 11.7 x 8.3 x 0.8 inch

€140

Fine Art Drawings, The Ponte Vecchio, Eugene Pons

Eugene Pons

Fine Art Drawings . 22 x 28 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings . 8.7 x 11 x 0.1 inch

€240

Painting, Tour, Jia Yuan Hua

Jia Yuan Hua

Painting . 28 x 28 x 2 cm Painting . 11 x 11 x 0.8 inch

€1,600

Painting, Fields 8.8, Joëlle Cabanne

Joëlle Cabanne

Painting . 42 x 29.7 x 2.5 cm Painting . 16.5 x 11.7 x 1 inch

€800

Photography, Shy, Thierry Despeghel

Shy

Thierry Despeghel

Photography . 45 x 30 x 0.3 cm Photography . 17.7 x 11.8 x 0.1 inch

€790

Painting, Village Road, Lile Gasviani

Lile Gasviani

Painting . 40 x 50 x 2 cm Painting . 15.7 x 19.7 x 0.8 inch

€1,100

Painting, Fields 7.7, Joëlle Cabanne

Joëlle Cabanne

Painting . 42 x 29.7 x 2.5 cm Painting . 16.5 x 11.7 x 1 inch

€800

Print, The Harbor, Paul Petit

Paul Petit

Print . 24 x 29 x 0.1 cm Print . 9.4 x 11.4 x 0 inch

€280

Print, The Road, Oli Fowler

Oli Fowler

Print . 38.5 x 33.5 x 5 cm Print . 15.2 x 13.2 x 2 inch

€603

Painting, Paysages 219, Xiu

Xiu

Painting . 50 x 20 x 1 cm Painting . 19.7 x 7.9 x 0.4 inch

€600

Painting, Village, Adrien Holy

Adrien Holy

Painting . 26 x 46 x 0.3 cm Painting . 10.2 x 18.1 x 0.1 inch

€1,107

Fine Art Drawings, Landscape, Myriam Bering

Myriam Bering

Fine Art Drawings . 31.5 x 41 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 12.4 x 16.1 x 0 inch

€400

Painting, Winter Snow, MaryAnn Cleary

MaryAnn Cleary

Painting . 30.5 x 40.6 x 0.3 cm Painting . 12 x 16 x 0.1 inch

€684

Painting, Le cocon, Mea Ambrozo

Mea Ambrozo

Painting . 33 x 41 x 1 cm Painting . 13 x 16.1 x 0.4 inch

€1,500

Painting, Mountains, Tetiana Chubukova

Tetiana Chubukova

Painting . 39.5 x 49.5 x 2.8 cm Painting . 15.6 x 19.5 x 1.1 inch

€1,350

Print, Church, Giovanni Stradone

Giovanni Stradone

Print . 40 x 50 x 0.3 cm Print . 15.7 x 19.7 x 0.1 inch

€200

Photography, Gaïa, Coralie Honnorat

Coralie Honnorat

Photography . 20 x 30 x 2 cm Photography . 7.9 x 11.8 x 0.8 inch

€200