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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PARIS Quartier Latin rue Galande 1974 MOON SHIN COLLECTION MMCA Museum Modern Contemporary Art, Seoul, South Korea
Moon Shin
Fine Art Drawings - 29 x 23 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.4 x 9.1 inch
€2,900 €1,450
1976 PARIS Quartier Latin Moon Shin Home Rue Domat Collection MMCA Museum Modern Contemporary Art Seoul South Korea
Moon Shin
Fine Art Drawings - 33 x 22 cm Fine Art Drawings - 13 x 8.7 inch
€2,900 €1,450
Le voyage de l'apprentissage
Christos Kalfas
Painting - 40 x 40 cm Painting - 15.7 x 15.7 inch
€1,800
Lonely trees-XVII
Stanislav Bojankov
Painting - 40 x 50 x 2 cm Painting - 15.7 x 19.7 x 0.8 inch
€210
La tête sur la main
Dimas Macedo
Sculpture - 23.5 x 26.5 x 18.5 cm Sculpture - 9.3 x 10.4 x 7.3 inch
€680 €544
Confidence
Anna Camille
Fine Art Drawings - 32 x 25 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 12.6 x 9.8 x 0.4 inch
€560 €532
Mouette rieuse
Catherine Clare
Sculpture - 31 x 36 x 11 cm Sculpture - 12.2 x 14.2 x 4.3 inch
€1,200 €1,080
Tricolor galloping horse
Catherine Clare
Sculpture - 30 x 25 x 15 cm Sculpture - 11.8 x 9.8 x 5.9 inch
€900 €810
Michel Desjoyeaux
Christophe Paucelier
Photography - 50 x 40 x 0.1 cm Photography - 19.7 x 15.7 x 0 inch
€770
Both these expressions and especially the first are remarkable.
Yrjö Edelmann
Print - 38 x 30 cm Print - 15 x 11.8 inch
€350
Memory, Unfocused
Mihaela Ivanova
Photography - 21 x 30 x 0.2 cm Photography - 8.3 x 11.8 x 0.1 inch
€440 €396
First Day of the Year
Mihaela Ivanova
Photography - 20 x 30 x 0.2 cm Photography - 7.9 x 11.8 x 0.1 inch
€440 €396
A l’affût / On the lookout
Sylvie Gaudissart
Sculpture - 38 x 26 x 20 cm Sculpture - 15 x 10.2 x 7.9 inch
€2,800
Le jeune prince à Venise
Dominique Andrier
Painting - 50 x 50 x 2 cm Painting - 19.7 x 19.7 x 0.8 inch
€2,300
N° 1003 A due a capella.
R. Cavalié
Painting - 40 x 40 x 2 cm Painting - 15.7 x 15.7 x 0.8 inch
€350
1990 Paris Au coin de la Rue Valette Quartier Latin
Kojiro Akagi
Print - 28 x 18 cm Print - 11 x 7.1 inch
€1,250 €625
Chouette Hulotte
François Galoyer
Sculpture - 29 x 14 x 10 cm Sculpture - 11.4 x 5.5 x 3.9 inch
€5,200
Chérubin Enfant au corail 1991 Cherub Child and Coral
Blaise Simon Balazs
Print - 28 x 19 x 0.5 cm Print - 11 x 7.5 x 0.2 inch
€990 €693
Naked Soul Melody
Kristina Mallen
Painting - 50 x 50 x 2 cm Painting - 19.7 x 19.7 x 0.8 inch
€1,650
1988 Oiseau Bird Show Thy force
Blaise Simon Balazs
Print - 28 x 38 x 0.5 cm Print - 11 x 15 x 0.2 inch
€950 €475
Mains et Poésie Blaise Cendrars 1987 Hands and Poetry
Blaise Simon Balazs
Print - 25 x 31.5 x 0.5 cm Print - 9.8 x 12.4 x 0.2 inch
€950 €855
2004 Paris Rue du Grenier sur l'eau Akagi Collection Musée Carnavalet Paris
Kojiro Akagi
Painting - 46 x 27 x 1 cm Painting - 18.1 x 10.6 x 0.4 inch
€7,500 €3,750
1974 Les toits de Paris Roofs
Kojiro Akagi
Painting - 35 x 38 x 1 cm Painting - 13.8 x 15 x 0.4 inch
€7,500 €3,750
1968 Paris Orange Paris Détruit, Géraniums et pelleteuse orange
Jochen Michaelis
Painting - 32.5 x 50 cm Painting - 12.8 x 19.7 inch
€4,950 €2,475
Night in Paris Nuit 1966 Night-Club II
Jochen Michaelis
Painting - 26 x 37.5 cm Painting - 10.2 x 14.8 inch
€2,950 €1,475
Night in Paris 1966 Night Club
Jochen Michaelis
Painting - 26 x 37.5 cm Painting - 10.2 x 14.8 inch
€2,950 €1,475
The I Like The Way You Kiss Me
Stephanie Godann
Painting - 27.5 x 27.5 x 4 cm Painting - 10.8 x 10.8 x 1.6 inch
€550
Fait moi un câlin !
Noël Granger
Fine Art Drawings - 38 x 28 cm Fine Art Drawings - 15 x 11 inch
€190
N° 1213 La Rochelle. Pointe des Minimes
R. Cavalié
Painting - 33 x 46 x 2 cm Painting - 13 x 18.1 x 0.8 inch
€450
Presentiment-XI
Stanislav Bojankov
Fine Art Drawings - 35 x 50 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 13.8 x 19.7 x 0 inch
€200
Shadows in Motion
Harutyun Aghajanyan
Painting - 40 x 30 x 2 cm Painting - 15.7 x 11.8 x 0.8 inch
€255
Landscaping-CXLVIII
Stanislav Bojankov
Painting - 21 x 30 x 0.1 cm Painting - 8.3 x 11.8 x 0 inch
€110
Woman of the Earth
Gillian Brett
Sculpture - 34 x 22 x 34 cm Sculpture - 13.4 x 8.7 x 13.4 inch
€1,849
Danser 2000 Dancing
Catherine Ravard
Painting - 46 x 38 x 2 cm Painting - 18.1 x 15 x 0.8 inch
€1,950 €975
Manufactura 9
Oriol Texidor
Photography - 40 x 50 x 7 cm Photography - 15.7 x 19.7 x 2.8 inch
€1,260
Gold abstract painting #0012
Olena Topliss
Painting - 27.9 x 27.9 x 4.6 cm Painting - 11 x 11 x 1.8 inch
Sold
N°1261 Jérusalem. Errance 2.
R. Cavalié
Painting - 46 x 27 x 2 cm Painting - 18.1 x 10.6 x 0.8 inch
€470
N° 999 Moderato cantabile
R. Cavalié
Painting - 40 x 40 x 2 cm Painting - 15.7 x 15.7 x 0.8 inch
€350