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…

Read more
Painting, Five and One, Timon Sloane

Timon Sloane

Painting . 30.5 x 30.5 x 1.3 cm Painting . 12 x 12 x 0.5 inch

€613

Painting, Lagoon, Tetiana Chubukova

Tetiana Chubukova

Painting . 50 x 50 x 1.7 cm Painting . 19.7 x 19.7 x 0.7 inch

€1,363

Painting, Reflets solaires, Dam Domido

Dam Domido

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

€1,090

Painting, Sans titre, Félix Vincent

Félix Vincent

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

€300

Print, Miami, Diana Christensen

Diana Christensen

Print . 30.5 x 21.6 x 5.1 cm Print . 12 x 8.5 x 2 inch

€545

Painting, Back yard, Sergiy A.

Sergiy A.

Painting . 26 x 43 x 2 cm Painting . 10.2 x 16.9 x 0.8 inch

€255

Painting, High water, Ivan Pylypenko

Ivan Pylypenko

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

€317

Painting, Warm summer, Ivan Pylypenko

Ivan Pylypenko

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

€318

Painting, Summer, Ivan Pylypenko

Ivan Pylypenko

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

€318

Painting, Erosion I, Yichao Sun

Yichao Sun

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

€800

Painting, Fondu II, Yichao Sun

Yichao Sun

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

€800

Photography, Signal, Monica Denevan

Monica Denevan

Photography . 38 x 38 cm Photography . 15 x 15 inch

€1,140

Painting, Erosion II, Yichao Sun

Yichao Sun

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

€800

Painting, Paysages 200, Daozhou Huang

Daozhou Huang

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

€450

Painting, Sunset, Sergiy A.

Sergiy A.

Painting . 26 x 38 x 2 cm Painting . 10.2 x 15 x 0.8 inch

€259

Painting, Mountain Lake, Uliana Sal

Uliana Sal

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

€454

Painting, Garden View, Timon Sloane

Timon Sloane

Painting . 22.9 x 30.5 x 1.3 cm Painting . 9 x 12 x 0.5 inch

€523

Painting, Trail, Tetiana Chubukova

Tetiana Chubukova

Painting . 30 x 30 x 1.5 cm Painting . 11.8 x 11.8 x 0.6 inch

€899

Painting, Lake, Tetiana Chubukova

Tetiana Chubukova

Painting . 30 x 30 x 1.5 cm Painting . 11.8 x 11.8 x 0.6 inch

€899

Painting, Paysages 252, Jun Peng Wu

Jun Peng Wu

Painting . 40 x 30 x 1 cm Painting . 15.7 x 11.8 x 0.4 inch

€550

Painting, Park, Vyacheslav B.

Vyacheslav B.

Painting . 22 x 29 x 2 cm Painting . 8.7 x 11.4 x 0.8 inch

€205

Painting, On the river, Vyacheslav B.

Vyacheslav B.

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

€279

Painting, Landscape, Martine Elhaik

Martine Elhaik

Painting . 30 x 30 x 1.5 cm Painting . 11.8 x 11.8 x 0.6 inch

€250

Painting, Venice, Kristina Mallen

Kristina Mallen

Painting . 39.5 x 39.5 x 1 cm Painting . 15.6 x 15.6 x 0.4 inch

€950 €665

Painting, Mayahi, Maarten Demmink

Maarten Demmink

Painting . 27 x 48 cm Painting . 10.6 x 18.9 inch

€1,500

Painting, Abéché, Maarten Demmink

Maarten Demmink

Painting . 27 x 48 cm Painting . 10.6 x 18.9 inch

€1,500

Photography, Vermont Winter, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

Photography . 50.8 x 50.8 cm Photography . 20 x 20 inch

€3,420

Photography, Poolside Pairs, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

Photography . 40.6 x 50.8 cm Photography . 16 x 20 inch

€2,850