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, Floating cells, Willy Chupa

Willy Chupa

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

€800

Painting, Abstract 2, Font Díaz

Font Díaz

Painting . 35 x 27 x 2 cm Painting . 13.8 x 10.6 x 0.8 inch

€700

Fine Art Drawings, La mer 22, Richard Pommier

Richard Pommier

Fine Art Drawings . 30 x 21 x 0.8 cm Fine Art Drawings . 11.8 x 8.3 x 0.3 inch

€200

Painting, Redes, Julio Castillo

Julio Castillo

Painting . 40 x 38 x 5 cm Painting . 15.7 x 15 x 2 inch

€1,400

Painting, Devenir, Florence V. Henric

Florence V. Henric

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

€850

Sculpture, Flower for you, Milko Dobrev

Milko Dobrev

Sculpture . 30 x 12.5 x 6 cm Sculpture . 11.8 x 4.9 x 2.4 inch

€1,280

Design, Small lie brown, Kaws

Kaws

Design . 28 x 5 x 5 cm Design . 11 x 2 x 2 inch

€700

Sculpture, Élephant, Pascal Chesneau

Pascal Chesneau

Sculpture . 37 x 33 x 12 cm Sculpture . 14.6 x 13 x 4.7 inch

€5,500

Fine Art Drawings, Racines, Olivier Picy

Olivier Picy

Fine Art Drawings . 29.7 x 21 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 11.7 x 8.3 x 0.4 inch

€140

Painting, Sans titre, Matthieu Dorval

Matthieu Dorval

Painting . 30 x 40 x 0.1 cm Painting . 11.8 x 15.7 x 0 inch

€980

Painting, Paid Silence, Elana Rey

Elana Rey

Painting . 40 x 50 x 3 cm Painting . 15.7 x 19.7 x 1.2 inch

€2,700

Fine Art Drawings, Costumer Design, Erte Tirtoff

Erte Tirtoff

Fine Art Drawings . 36 x 27 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 14.2 x 10.6 x 0 inch

€3,400

Sculpture, Dream 2, Marie Thivrier

Marie Thivrier

Sculpture . 47 x 16 x 60 cm Sculpture . 18.5 x 6.3 x 23.6 inch

€820

Painting, Portrait 4, Paola Lanzi

Paola Lanzi

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

€800

Painting, Serenity, Natalia Naumova

Natalia Naumova

Painting . 50 x 50 x 1.7 cm Painting . 19.7 x 19.7 x 0.7 inch

€1,125

Sculpture, Madammen, Rietje Geurts

Rietje Geurts

Sculpture . 50 x 20 x 15 cm Sculpture . 19.7 x 7.9 x 5.9 inch

€6,250

Sculpture, No Vancouver, Gregg Smith

Gregg Smith

Sculpture . 50 x 30 x 25 cm Sculpture . 19.7 x 11.8 x 9.8 inch

€300

Painting, Panza de Burro, Zsolt Bukta

Zsolt Bukta

Painting . 20 x 30 x 2 cm Painting . 7.9 x 11.8 x 0.8 inch

€1,050

Sculpture, Le temple, Isabelle Jeandot

Isabelle Jeandot

Sculpture . 46 x 45 x 7 cm Sculpture . 18.1 x 17.7 x 2.8 inch

€10,100

Sculpture, Arbre Modi 6, Herrel

Herrel

Sculpture . 38 x 13 x 18 cm Sculpture . 15 x 5.1 x 7.1 inch

€7,600

Fine Art Drawings, Botanica Mocca, Anastacia Kevich

Anastacia Kevich

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

€1,017

Painting, Depth, Weronika Dylag

Weronika Dylag

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

€800

Painting, Cornu Aspersum, Lucy Cobern

Lucy Cobern

Painting . 33.5 x 42 x 0.1 cm Painting . 13.2 x 16.5 x 0 inch

€4,000

Sculpture, Mask #208, Gil Bruvel

Gil Bruvel

Sculpture . 48.3 x 50.8 x 22.9 cm Sculpture . 19 x 20 x 9 inch

€14,488

Painting, Origin, Maria Velia Simone

Maria Velia Simone

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

€2,050

Photography, #7, Julien Espiaut

#7

Julien Espiaut

Photography . 40 x 30 x 0.1 cm Photography . 15.7 x 11.8 x 0 inch

€390

Sculpture, Sprouts of hope, Milko Dobrev

Milko Dobrev

Sculpture . 32 x 20 x 6.5 cm Sculpture . 12.6 x 7.9 x 2.6 inch

€1,450

Sculpture, Grigri, FERNANDO

FERNANDO

Sculpture . 37 x 12 x 15 cm Sculpture . 14.6 x 4.7 x 5.9 inch

€650

Print, Clown, Enrico Benaglia

Enrico Benaglia

Print . 50 x 35 x 0.3 cm Print . 19.7 x 13.8 x 0.1 inch

€320

Painting, Away, Nicolas Ruelle

Nicolas Ruelle

Painting . 50 x 50 x 2.5 cm Painting . 19.7 x 19.7 x 1 inch

€320

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