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…

Read more
Painting, Manhattan Up, Amy Nelder

Amy Nelder

Painting . 40.6 x 40.6 x 3.2 cm Painting . 16 x 16 x 1.25 inch

€4,119

Sculpture, Untitled 3, Layla Dagher

Layla Dagher

Sculpture . 27 x 20 x 10 cm Sculpture . 10.6 x 7.9 x 3.9 inch

€1,556

Photography, Psyche?, Charlotte Brunstein

Charlotte Brunstein

Photography . 39.2 x 39.55 x 0.1 cm Photography . 15.4 x 15.6 x 0 inch

€990

Painting, Ophelia, Hugues Candaës

Hugues Candaës

Painting . 50 x 25 x 2 cm Painting . 19.7 x 9.8 x 0.8 inch

€860

Painting, Golden Corner, Narek Qochunc

Narek Qochunc

Painting . 24 x 31 x 0.2 cm Painting . 9.4 x 12.2 x 0.1 inch

€320

Painting, Dolphins Story 5, Jiwoo Oh

Jiwoo Oh

Painting . 40.9 x 31.8 x 2.5 cm Painting . 16.1 x 12.5 x 1 inch

€280

Painting, Sans titre, Yves Bonhomme

Yves Bonhomme

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

€500

Painting, Euphoria, Diana Torje

Diana Torje

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

€1,500

Painting, Melody of Joy, Marta Zawadzka

Marta Zawadzka

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

€1,600

Painting, S 20 Sunset, Nivas Kanhere

Nivas Kanhere

Painting . 45.7 x 35.6 x 2.5 cm Painting . 18 x 14 x 1 inch

€137

Painting, Cloudy Day, Tatyana Derdey

Tatyana Derdey

Painting . 20 x 35 x 2 cm Painting . 7.9 x 13.8 x 0.8 inch

€220

Painting, L'avion, Nigel Bailey

Nigel Bailey

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

€700

Fine Art Drawings, Skull art, Tarek

Tarek

Fine Art Drawings . 32 x 24 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 12.6 x 9.4 x 0 inch

€250

Fine Art Drawings, Orange skull, Tarek

Tarek

Fine Art Drawings . 24 x 32 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 9.4 x 12.6 x 0 inch

€250

Painting, Traveler, Rem Pirumov

Rem Pirumov

Painting . 46 x 30 cm Painting . 18.1 x 11.8 inch

€430

Painting, West, Elizabeth Becker

Elizabeth Becker

Painting . 30.5 x 40.6 x 0.3 cm Painting . 12 x 16 x 0.1 inch

€233

Painting, Spacewalk XX., Petr Strnad

Petr Strnad

Painting . 42.4 x 29.7 x 0.1 cm Painting . 16.7 x 11.7 x 0 inch

€200

Painting, Performat 6., Petr Strnad

Petr Strnad

Painting . 27.3 x 19.4 x 0.1 cm Painting . 10.7 x 7.6 x 0 inch

€250

Painting, Record IV, Petr Strnad

Petr Strnad

Painting . 27.4 x 27.8 x 0.1 cm Painting . 10.8 x 10.9 x 0 inch

€160

Painting, What?, Juffrouw Springtouw

Juffrouw Springtouw

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

€950

Painting, Lost, Tetiana Chubukova

Tetiana Chubukova

Painting . 41 x 33 x 3.5 cm Painting . 16.1 x 13 x 1.4 inch

€1,281

Painting, Caléndula, Gilbert Pauli

Gilbert Pauli

Painting . 41 x 41 x 3 cm Painting . 16.1 x 16.1 x 1.2 inch

€2,732

Painting, Winds, Reinaldo Chavez

Reinaldo Chavez

Painting . 8 x 32 cm Painting . 3.1 x 12.6 inch

€320 €288

14/31