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, Spring, Mea Ambrozo

Mea Ambrozo

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

€3,200

Fine Art Drawings, Provencale No. 12, Pascal Plazanet

Pascal Plazanet

Fine Art Drawings . 29.5 x 42 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 11.6 x 16.5 x 0 inch

€1,400

Sculpture, Apostrophe, Pinto

Pinto

Sculpture . 50 x 24 x 15 cm Sculpture . 19.7 x 9.4 x 5.9 inch

€1,600

Fine Art Drawings, La caffettiera conica, Aldo Rossi

Aldo Rossi

Fine Art Drawings . 50 x 50 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 19.7 x 19.7 x 0.4 inch

€4,900

Fine Art Drawings, Cheese bell (4), 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

Photography, Tripe 12, Thomas Ruff

Thomas Ruff

Photography . 40 x 50 cm Photography . 15.7 x 19.7 inch

€2,250 €2,025

Painting, 14.06.22, Daniel Maria Thurau

Daniel Maria Thurau

Painting . 50 x 35 x 0.1 cm Painting . 19.7 x 13.8 x 0 inch

€2,550

Painting, Detroit, Mea Ambrozo

Mea Ambrozo

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

€3,000

Painting, Untitled, Mauro Bellucci

Mauro Bellucci

Painting . 50 x 50 x 0.1 cm Painting . 19.7 x 19.7 x 0 inch

€1,000

Photography, Lyric theatre, Berenice Abbott

Berenice Abbott

Photography . 36.8 x 48.9 x 0.3 cm Photography . 14.5 x 19.25 x 0.1 inch

€15,540

Painting, Cadiz, Véro Blaise

Véro Blaise

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

€800

Painting, Barfleur, Pascal Plazanet

Pascal Plazanet

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

€1,900

Fine Art Drawings, View, Nicolas Damianakis

Nicolas Damianakis

Fine Art Drawings . 24 x 31.5 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 9.4 x 12.4 x 0 inch

€300

Painting, Dawes Point, Nigel Bailey

Nigel Bailey

Painting . 40.3 x 40.3 x 0.3 cm Painting . 15.9 x 15.9 x 0.1 inch

€900

Photography, Memories IV, Victoria Dearing

Victoria Dearing

Photography . 27.5 x 44.5 x 0.3 cm Photography . 10.8 x 17.5 x 0.1 inch

€900

Design, Let's Go VI, Philip Hearsey

Philip Hearsey

Design . 43.5 x 27 x 12.5 cm Design . 17.1 x 10.6 x 4.9 inch

€3,018

Photography, Poolside Ladies, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

Photography . 31 x 41 cm Photography . 12.2 x 16.1 inch

€2,050

Fine Art Drawings, Birdhouse, Quiel Ramos

Quiel Ramos

Fine Art Drawings . 30 x 20 x 0.2 cm Fine Art Drawings . 11.8 x 7.9 x 0.1 inch

€360

Painting, Lotus 17, Xiu

Xiu

Painting . 30 x 13 x 1 cm Painting . 11.8 x 5.1 x 0.4 inch

€450

Fine Art Drawings, Théorèmes #1, Nagsoul

Nagsoul

Fine Art Drawings . 22 x 32 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 8.7 x 12.6 x 0 inch

€800

Painting, Kinsale, Véro Blaise

Véro Blaise

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

€800

Painting, Vel de fang, David Casals

David Casals

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

€1,050

Painting, Flors, Avtandil Modebadze

Avtandil Modebadze

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

€650

Fine Art Drawings, Les grilles, Georges Laporte

Georges Laporte

Fine Art Drawings . 35 x 25 cm Fine Art Drawings . 13.8 x 9.8 inch

€200

Painting, S.t, Tonino Guerra

S.t

Tonino Guerra

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

€2,700

Print, Istanbul 2, Sukran Ulucan

Sukran Ulucan

Print . 33 x 44 x 0.3 cm Print . 13 x 17.3 x 0.1 inch

€650

Painting, Venecia, Rafael Griera

Rafael Griera

Painting . 35 x 44 x 1 cm Painting . 13.8 x 17.3 x 0.4 inch

€600

Fine Art Drawings, Useless Dream, Fred Borghesi

Fred Borghesi

Fine Art Drawings . 30 x 42 x 0.5 cm Fine Art Drawings . 11.8 x 16.5 x 0.2 inch

€1,700

Painting, Aldgate East, David Walker

David Walker

Painting . 39 x 35 cm Painting . 15.4 x 13.8 inch

€1,144

Fine Art Drawings, Cityscape, Jean Chapin

Jean Chapin

Fine Art Drawings . 27.3 x 21 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings . 10.7 x 8.3 x 0.1 inch

€380