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, The rest of us 6, Luca Brandi

Luca Brandi

Painting . 38.1 x 27.9 x 0.3 cm Painting . 15 x 11 x 0.1 inch

€739

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

€1,000

Sculpture, Sisa, Coha

Coha

Sculpture . 39 x 25 x 4 cm Sculpture . 15.4 x 9.8 x 1.6 inch

€6,500

Sculpture, Grand Pic, Danielle Lescot

Danielle Lescot

Sculpture . 40 x 30 x 8 cm Sculpture . 15.7 x 11.8 x 3.1 inch

€900

Painting, Performat 2., Petr Strnad

Petr Strnad

Painting . 27.9 x 19.6 x 0.1 cm Painting . 11 x 7.7 x 0 inch

€250

Painting, Luxuriate, Ashlynn Browning

Ashlynn Browning

Painting . 45.7 x 35.6 x 5.1 cm Painting . 18 x 14 x 2 inch

€967

Sculpture, To Solitude, Ege Kolcu

Ege Kolcu

Sculpture . 33 x 34 x 25 cm Sculpture . 13 x 13.4 x 9.8 inch

€3,800

Painting, 396, Jérémie Iordanoff

396

Jérémie Iordanoff

Painting . 44 x 44 x 1 cm Painting . 17.3 x 17.3 x 0.4 inch

€700

Sculpture, 10 Eisquader, Clemens Hutter

Clemens Hutter

Sculpture . 30 x 34.5 x 9.5 cm Sculpture . 11.8 x 13.6 x 3.7 inch

€1,400

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 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, XXXVI 12, Yves Popet

Yves Popet

Painting . 38 x 38 x 1 cm Painting . 15 x 15 x 0.4 inch

€2,850

Sculpture, Cusi, Coha

Coha

Sculpture . 38.5 x 24 x 4 cm Sculpture . 15.2 x 9.4 x 1.6 inch

€6,500

Painting, Geometrik, Tarek

Tarek

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

€350

Print, Oru buffle, Stoul

Stoul

Print . 37 x 27 x 2 cm Print . 14.6 x 10.6 x 0.8 inch

€550

Painting, The Holy Grail, Olha Kizub

Olha Kizub

Painting . 45 x 45 x 1.5 cm Painting . 17.7 x 17.7 x 0.6 inch

€729

Print, Lesbo, Mario Radice

Mario Radice

Print . 43.5 x 33 x 0.2 cm Print . 17.1 x 13 x 0.1 inch

€300

Painting, Enigme, Sophie Dumont

Sophie Dumont

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

€1,850

Painting, The game, Dantès

Dantès

Painting . 40 x 30 x 0.2 cm Painting . 15.7 x 11.8 x 0.1 inch

€70 €51

Painting, Cobert, Nuria Guinovart

Nuria Guinovart

Painting . 40 x 20 x 3 cm Painting . 15.7 x 7.9 x 1.2 inch

€1,330

Fine Art Drawings, Pastel bleu 1423, Joel Giraud

Joel Giraud

Fine Art Drawings . 25.5 x 34.5 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 10 x 13.6 x 0 inch

€290

Print, Strohhalme, Paulis Liepa

Paulis Liepa

Print . 35.5 x 49 x 0.2 cm Print . 14 x 19.3 x 0.1 inch

€1,040

Painting, Abstract VIII, Mykola Bodnar

Mykola Bodnar

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

€910

Sculpture, Embrace, Patricia Volk

Patricia Volk

Sculpture . 27 x 45 x 42 cm Sculpture . 10.6 x 17.7 x 16.5 inch

€2,650

Painting, Reflection, Remi Rough

Remi Rough

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

€6,500

Painting, In Knots, Emily Redd

Emily Redd

Painting . 35.6 x 35.6 x 0.3 cm Painting . 14 x 14 x 0.1 inch

€866

Painting, Paysage bleu 5, Hei Yue

Hei Yue

Painting . 45 x 45 x 1 cm Painting . 17.7 x 17.7 x 0.4 inch

€2,500

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, Blue space II, Luis Medina

Luis Medina

Painting . 39.9 x 39.9 x 4.1 cm Painting . 15.7 x 15.7 x 1.6 inch

€602

Sculpture, Wild sand, Ferri Garcès

Ferri Garcès

Sculpture . 37 x 33 x 7 cm Sculpture . 14.6 x 13 x 2.8 inch

€2,600

Painting, Neblina, Frank Jensen

Frank Jensen

Painting . 50 x 50 cm Painting . 19.7 x 19.7 inch

€1,250

Sculpture, Wave, Ok Nam Lee

Ok Nam Lee

Sculpture . 38.5 x 38.5 x 2 cm Sculpture . 15.2 x 15.2 x 0.8 inch

€1,200

Painting, Maple, Donald Munson

Donald Munson

Painting . 38.1 x 38.1 x 2.5 cm Painting . 15 x 15 x 1 inch

€1,163

Print, Star of Light, Yaacov Agam

Yaacov Agam

Print . 38 x 35 x 0.5 cm Print . 15 x 13.8 x 0.2 inch

€2,900

Sculpture, Rising Up, Menashe Kadishman

Menashe Kadishman

Sculpture . 40 x 24 x 12 cm Sculpture . 15.7 x 9.4 x 4.7 inch

€6,155

Painting, Illusion, Fabian Albertini

Fabian Albertini

Painting . 40 x 30 x 3.5 cm Painting . 15.7 x 11.8 x 1.4 inch

€1,750

Painting, Le passage, Sophie Dumont

Sophie Dumont

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

€1,850

Sculpture, Landscape#1, Paul Stein

Paul Stein

Sculpture . 46 x 40 x 28 cm Sculpture . 18.1 x 15.7 x 11 inch

€3,283

Sculpture, Untiteled M11, Adelina Virga

Adelina Virga

Sculpture . 40 x 10 x 9.4 cm Sculpture . 15.7 x 3.9 x 3.7 inch

€1,550

Fine Art Drawings, Untitled, Magda Bolumar

Magda Bolumar

Fine Art Drawings . 26.5 x 35 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 10.4 x 13.8 x 0 inch

€3,000

Painting, Magic, Howard Brotman

Howard Brotman

Painting . 50.8 x 40.6 x 2 cm Painting . 20 x 16 x 0.8 inch

€2,804

Print, Sans titre, Ian Tyson

Ian Tyson

Print . 32 x 32 cm Print . 12.6 x 12.6 inch

€200

Print, Sans-Titre, Frank Badur

Frank Badur

Print . 32 x 32 cm Print . 12.6 x 12.6 inch

€200

Fine Art Drawings, Gymnopédie, Catherine Clare

Catherine Clare

Fine Art Drawings . 50 x 40 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 19.7 x 15.7 x 0 inch

€850

Painting, Scenery 1, Anastasya Lyulina

Anastasya Lyulina

Painting . 40.5 x 30.5 x 1 cm Painting . 15.9 x 12 x 0.4 inch

€365