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, Cube 24, Lucio Forte

Lucio Forte

Painting . 24 x 33 x 0.1 cm Painting . 9.4 x 13 x 0 inch

€130

Painting, Troca, Isabelle Hirtzig

Isabelle Hirtzig

Painting . 35 x 28 x 0.1 cm Painting . 13.8 x 11 x 0 inch

€155

Painting, Paysage, Jean Jacques Boimond

Jean Jacques Boimond

Painting . 21.5 x 40.5 x 2 cm Painting . 8.5 x 15.9 x 0.8 inch

€1,129

Photography, Grand Ecran 7, Bruno Fournier

Bruno Fournier

Photography . 17 x 31 x 1 cm Photography . 6.7 x 12.2 x 0.4 inch

€850

Fine Art Drawings, Balcon sur rive, Quentin Badran

Quentin Badran

Fine Art Drawings . 42 x 29 x 0.01 cm Fine Art Drawings . 16.5 x 11.4 x 0 inch

€7,500

Painting, By the Bodhi Tree, AreiRa

AreiRa

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

€700

Painting, Messenger, Dyala Khodary

Dyala Khodary

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

€1,200

Painting, Books, Lluís Puiggrós

Lluís Puiggrós

Painting . 50 x 50 x 5 cm Painting . 19.7 x 19.7 x 2 inch

€550

Fine Art Drawings, L'escale, Karin Boinet

Karin Boinet

Fine Art Drawings . 29.7 x 21 x 0.01 cm Fine Art Drawings . 11.7 x 8.3 x 0 inch

€620

Photography, Louvre, Bridgeman

Bridgeman

Photography . 27 x 30 x 0.1 cm Photography . 10.6 x 11.8 x 0 inch

€240

Painting, At home, AreiRa

AreiRa

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

€700

Fine Art Drawings, Cheese bell, Yulia Pugacheva

Yulia Pugacheva

Fine Art Drawings . 21 x 29 x 0.01 cm Fine Art Drawings . 8.3 x 11.4 x 0 inch

€280

Fine Art Drawings, Antwerp, Nigel Bailey

Nigel Bailey

Fine Art Drawings . 35.6 x 27.9 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 14 x 11 x 0 inch

€270

Photography, Private, Balat, Nilgun Sezgin

Nilgun Sezgin

Photography . 30 x 45 x 0.1 cm Photography . 11.8 x 17.7 x 0 inch

€225

Painting, Evreux, Pierre Allard

Pierre Allard

Painting . 46 x 38 x 2 cm Painting . 18.1 x 15 x 0.8 inch

€300

Painting, Lake Home, Melinda Patrick

Melinda Patrick

Painting . 30.5 x 40.6 x 3.8 cm Painting . 12 x 16 x 1.5 inch

€342

Painting, Village I, Daozhou Huang

Daozhou Huang

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

€400

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