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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Sculpture, Transflux, Sezny Peron

Sezny Peron

Sculpture . 24 x 42 x 20 cm Sculpture . 9.4 x 16.5 x 7.9 inch

€1,500

Painting, M_MS_04, Isabela Puga

Isabela Puga

Painting . 25 x 35 x 4 cm Painting . 9.8 x 13.8 x 1.6 inch

€1,050

Painting, Porte Rotonde, Kardesch

Kardesch

Painting . 41 x 27 cm Painting . 16.1 x 10.6 inch

€900

Fine Art Drawings, Walkies, Gabrielle Pool

Gabrielle Pool

Fine Art Drawings . 32.5 x 24 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 12.8 x 9.4 x 0 inch

€598

Sculpture, Duo de reflets 1, Teurk

Teurk

Sculpture . 50 x 40 x 3 cm Sculpture . 19.7 x 15.7 x 1.2 inch

€1,100

Fine Art Drawings, Tracks, Nagsoul

Nagsoul

Fine Art Drawings . 38 x 28 cm Fine Art Drawings . 15 x 11 inch

€1,000

Painting, Untitled I, Antoni Clavé

Antoni Clavé

Painting . 50 x 30 x 2 cm Painting . 19.7 x 11.8 x 0.8 inch

€1,600

Print, Blue, Wassily Kandinsky

Wassily Kandinsky

Print . 32.3 x 27.8 x 1 cm Print . 12.7 x 10.9 x 0.4 inch

€25,000

Fine Art Drawings, The Cross, Dora Maar

Dora Maar

Fine Art Drawings . 31 x 24 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 12.2 x 9.4 x 0.4 inch

€9,000

Painting, Running, Olga Anashkina

Olga Anashkina

Painting . 27 x 19 x 4 cm Painting . 10.6 x 7.5 x 1.6 inch

€820

Painting, 3FD-17, Martin Singer

Martin Singer

Painting . 35 x 35 x 3.5 cm Painting . 13.8 x 13.8 x 1.4 inch

€560

Painting, Untitled, Shadi Abou Sada

Shadi Abou Sada

Painting . 30 x 40 x 4 cm Painting . 11.8 x 15.7 x 1.6 inch

€1,000

Painting, Sans titre, Sylvie Duval

Sylvie Duval

Painting . 37 x 44 cm Painting . 14.6 x 17.3 inch

€700

Painting, Vogue, Fortunato Depero

Fortunato Depero

Painting . 25.2 x 22.5 x 0.4 cm Painting . 9.9 x 8.9 x 0.2 inch

€24,000

Painting, Kholab x Cope 2, Cope2

Cope2

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

€1,400

Painting, Accumulation bleu, Arman

Arman

Painting . 43 x 30 x 7 cm Painting . 16.9 x 11.8 x 2.8 inch

€25,000

Sculpture, La Possédée, André Masson

André Masson

Sculpture . 38 x 42 x 18 cm Sculpture . 15 x 16.5 x 7.1 inch

€32,000

Painting, Sans titre, Logovarda

Logovarda

Painting . 30 x 36.5 x 0.1 cm Painting . 11.8 x 14.4 x 0 inch

€1,300

Fine Art Drawings, The Fugue, Kirill Postovit

Kirill Postovit

Fine Art Drawings . 29.7 x 42 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 11.7 x 16.5 x 0 inch

€800

Painting, Aryna, Sébastien Preschoux

Sébastien Preschoux

Painting . 44 x 42 x 3 cm Painting . 17.3 x 16.5 x 1.2 inch

€1,100

Painting, Sans-titre, Yang Liming

Yang Liming

Painting . 50 x 50 x 3 cm Painting . 19.7 x 19.7 x 1.2 inch

€5,500

Painting, Sans titre, Raoul Hausman

Raoul Hausman

Painting . 35 x 48.5 x 0.1 cm Painting . 13.8 x 19.1 x 0 inch

€3,000

Painting, Goodbye 2, Luca Brandi

Luca Brandi

Painting . 44 x 35 x 0.5 cm Painting . 17.3 x 13.8 x 0.2 inch

€600

Sculpture, Duel, Antoine Leclercq

Antoine Leclercq

Sculpture . 35 x 28 x 7 cm Sculpture . 13.8 x 11 x 2.8 inch

€4,100

Painting, Black Signs on Violet, Raul

Raul

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

€1,400

Sculpture, Alethea Preta 295, Jan Wold

Jan Wold

Sculpture . 29.5 x 29.5 x 15 cm Sculpture . 11.6 x 11.6 x 5.9 inch

€2,100

Print, Le nid, Jules Milhau

Jules Milhau

Print . 31 x 50 x 0.8 cm Print . 12.2 x 19.7 x 0.3 inch

€500

Fine Art Drawings, Borders, JonOne

JonOne

Fine Art Drawings . 30 x 42 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 11.8 x 16.5 x 0 inch

€1,990

Painting, Abstract, Ellis Jacobson

Ellis Jacobson

Painting . 31 x 42 x 0.3 cm Painting . 12.2 x 16.5 x 0.1 inch

€1,200

Sculpture, Bonsas obelisk, Zlatin Orlov

Zlatin Orlov

Sculpture . 40 x 11 x 11 cm Sculpture . 15.7 x 4.3 x 4.3 inch

€850