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 thinker, Liz Gartz

Liz Gartz

Painting . 46 x 32 x 1 cm Painting . 18.1 x 12.6 x 0.4 inch

€790

Painting, Arabesco 032, Roberto Zizzo

Roberto Zizzo

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

€1,600

Painting, Emergence, Robert Inestroza

Robert Inestroza

Painting . 26 x 26 x 4 cm Painting . 10.2 x 10.2 x 1.6 inch

€400

Painting, Lyshchikov Lane, Simon Kozhin

Simon Kozhin

Painting . 18 x 26.7 x 0.3 cm Painting . 7.1 x 10.5 x 0.1 inch

€2,900

Painting, Frida, Nathalie Cubéro

Nathalie Cubéro

Painting . 36 x 36 x 0.2 cm Painting . 14.2 x 14.2 x 0.1 inch

€480

Painting, My Son !, Noël Granger

Noël Granger

Painting . 29 x 21 cm Painting . 11.4 x 8.3 inch

€120

Painting, Along my river, Pol Ledent

Pol Ledent

Painting . 31 x 41 x 0.1 cm Painting . 12.2 x 16.1 x 0 inch

€150

Painting, Trompeta, Sola Puig

Sola Puig

Painting . 33 x 46 x 2 cm Painting . 13 x 18.1 x 0.8 inch

€1,500

Design, Ondée, Erte Tirtoff

Erte Tirtoff

Design . 32 x 32 x 2 cm Design . 12.6 x 12.6 x 0.8 inch

€250

Painting, Sunny day, Liubou Sas

Liubou Sas

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

€2,130

Painting, Llauna, Raül Mateo

Raül Mateo

Painting . 27 x 22 x 5 cm Painting . 10.6 x 8.7 x 2 inch

€650

Painting, Untitled, Antonio de Vargas

Antonio de Vargas

Painting . 36 x 36 x 0.2 cm Painting . 14.2 x 14.2 x 0.1 inch

€750

Sculpture, Compagnons 8, Qihui Huang

Qihui Huang

Sculpture . 32 x 30 x 4.5 cm Sculpture . 12.6 x 11.8 x 1.8 inch

€603

Painting, Porcelain, Irina Trushkova

Irina Trushkova

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

€1,800

Photography, Fulton, Dominique Jullien

Dominique Jullien

Photography . 20 x 30 x 1 cm Photography . 7.9 x 11.8 x 0.4 inch

€450

Painting, Mask, Liubou Sas

Liubou Sas

Painting . 50 x 40 x 1.6 cm Painting . 19.7 x 15.7 x 0.6 inch

€1,800

Painting, Sincere, Elizabeth Becker

Elizabeth Becker

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

€343

Painting, Reveal, Elizabeth Becker

Elizabeth Becker

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

€253

Painting, Gaze, Elizabeth Becker

Elizabeth Becker

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

€208

Print, En Floride, Jules Pascin

Jules Pascin

Print . 28 x 19 x 0.01 cm Print . 11 x 7.5 x 0 inch

€200

Painting, Golden Petals, Kamo Atoyan

Kamo Atoyan

Painting . 50 x 40 x 2 cm Painting . 19.7 x 15.7 x 0.8 inch

€325

Painting, Flower for mummy, Yulia Nova

Yulia Nova

Painting . 44 x 32 x 2 cm Painting . 17.3 x 12.6 x 0.8 inch

€632

Painting, Relax, Carmen Cañadas

Carmen Cañadas

Painting . 39 x 30 x 3 cm Painting . 15.4 x 11.8 x 1.2 inch

€1,700

Print, Concept #121, Petr Strnad

Petr Strnad

Print . 50 x 33.3 x 0.1 cm Print . 19.7 x 13.1 x 0 inch

€320

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