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, Portal (pink ) I, Susan L

Susan L

Painting . 50 x 40 x 4 cm Painting . 19.7 x 15.7 x 1.6 inch

€1,814

Painting, P006, Eric Cruikshank

Eric Cruikshank

Painting . 44 x 37 x 0.1 cm Painting . 17.3 x 14.6 x 0 inch

€2,418

Sculpture, N°422, Maxime Plancque

Maxime Plancque

Sculpture . 40 x 40 x 7 cm Sculpture . 15.7 x 15.7 x 2.8 inch

€3,550

Print, Ames Mortes, Marc Chagall

Marc Chagall

Print . 40 x 30 x 15 cm Print . 15.7 x 11.8 x 5.9 inch

€50,000

Print, Apu's Space, Krishna Reddy

Krishna Reddy

Print . 36 x 47 x 1 cm Print . 14.2 x 18.5 x 0.4 inch

€12,000

Print, Portrait, Giuseppe Viviani

Giuseppe Viviani

Print . 50 x 33.5 x 0.2 cm Print . 19.7 x 13.2 x 0.1 inch

€200

Painting, Another trip, Calat

Calat

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

€625

Sculpture, Gainsbourg Vs 500Fr, Ske

Ske

Sculpture . 16 x 30 x 5 cm Sculpture . 6.3 x 11.8 x 2 inch

€290

Painting, Apokalypsisv, Luca Brandi

Luca Brandi

Painting . 33 x 48.3 x 0.3 cm Painting . 13 x 19 x 0.1 inch

€1,467

Painting, Après, Sandra Bédu

Sandra Bédu

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

€480

Painting, Imbrications, Sophie Hors

Sophie Hors

Painting . 47 x 37 x 3 cm Painting . 18.5 x 14.6 x 1.2 inch

€810

Photography, Gehrtii, Sophie Zénon

Sophie Zénon

Photography . 28 x 20 x 1 cm Photography . 11 x 7.9 x 0.4 inch

€5,200

Sculpture, Medusa, Ron Zohar

Ron Zohar

Sculpture . 41 x 25 x 24 cm Sculpture . 16.1 x 9.8 x 9.4 inch

€7,400

Painting, When seas collide, Paul B

Paul B

Painting . 50 x 50 x 4 cm Painting . 19.7 x 19.7 x 1.6 inch

€998

Painting, Landscape 2, Lika Sarishvili

Lika Sarishvili

Painting . 44 x 44 x 0.3 cm Painting . 17.3 x 17.3 x 0.1 inch

€2,000

Sculpture, Now i'm Free, Ske

Ske

Sculpture . 14.5 x 33 x 5 cm Sculpture . 5.7 x 13 x 2 inch

€249

Sculpture, Je Dors, Sophie Larroche

Sophie Larroche

Sculpture . 31 x 40 x 34 cm Sculpture . 12.2 x 15.7 x 13.4 inch

€2,800

Painting, Scrivo di sguardi, Margotz

Margotz

Painting . 40 x 30 x 1 cm Painting . 15.7 x 11.8 x 0.4 inch

€400

Sculpture, African Tango, Sophie Verger

Sophie Verger

Sculpture . 30 x 30 x 20 cm Sculpture . 11.8 x 11.8 x 7.9 inch

€4,100

Painting, Disengaged, David Walker

David Walker

Painting . 39 x 39 x 0.2 cm Painting . 15.4 x 15.4 x 0.1 inch

€1,451

Sculpture, Shelter I, Philip Hearsey

Philip Hearsey

Sculpture . 37 x 32 x 27 cm Sculpture . 14.6 x 12.6 x 10.6 inch

€4,535

Painting, Sans titre, Logovarda

Logovarda

Painting . 42 x 29.5 x 0.1 cm Painting . 16.5 x 11.6 x 0 inch

€1,200

Design, Reine, Milcheva Emilia

Milcheva Emilia

Design . 48 x 18 x 17 cm Design . 18.9 x 7.1 x 6.7 inch

€1,000

Print, Leo, Marcelo Martin Burgos

Leo

Marcelo Martin Burgos

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

€350

Print, Tea leaves, Amy Sol

Amy Sol

Print . 43.18 x 35.56 x 0.2 cm Print . 17 x 14 x 0.1 inch

€450

Print, Kinasih, Roby Dwi Antono

Roby Dwi Antono

Print . 50 x 44 x 1 cm Print . 19.7 x 17.3 x 0.4 inch

€1,995

Sculpture, Atlas, Aniana Heras

Aniana Heras

Sculpture . 34.8 x 21.8 x 14 cm Sculpture . 13.7 x 8.6 x 5.5 inch

€1,256

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