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, Tango, Pol Ledent

Pol Ledent

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

€400

Painting, On a walk, Ivanyuk Oleksiy

Ivanyuk Oleksiy

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

€205

Painting, The Party, Irfan Ajvazi

Irfan Ajvazi

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

€1,800

Fine Art Drawings, Sans titre, Babahoum

Babahoum

Fine Art Drawings . 25 x 38.5 x 0.2 cm Fine Art Drawings . 9.8 x 15.2 x 0.1 inch

€300

Painting, Le Bivouac, Joel Giraud

Joel Giraud

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

€650

Photography, Garden party, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

Photography . 41 x 41 cm Photography . 16.1 x 16.1 inch

€2,550

Painting, Sewing Nets, AVEL Muñoz

AVEL Muñoz

Painting . 27.5 x 36 x 3 cm Painting . 10.8 x 14.2 x 1.2 inch

€800

Photography, Andros Island, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

Photography . 41 x 41 cm Photography . 16.1 x 16.1 inch

€2,550

Photography, Skiing In Stowe, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

Photography . 41 x 41 cm Photography . 16.1 x 16.1 inch

€2,550

Photography, Skiers at Gstaad, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

Photography . 40.6 x 50.8 x 0.1 cm Photography . 16 x 20 x 0.05 inch

€2,550

Painting, August, Nigel Bailey

Nigel Bailey

Painting . 45.8 x 45.8 x 0.5 cm Painting . 18 x 18 x 0.2 inch

€760

Painting, Mercè, Ana Patitú

Ana Patitú

Painting . 30 x 30 x 1.7 cm Painting . 11.8 x 11.8 x 0.7 inch

€650

Photography, Pola Molitor, Gil Rigoulet

Gil Rigoulet

Photography . 40 x 30 x 0.01 cm Photography . 15.7 x 11.8 x 0 inch

€2,500

Painting, Pool Table, Elene Melikidze

Elene Melikidze

Painting . 29 x 45 x 3 cm Painting . 11.4 x 17.7 x 1.2 inch

€800

Painting, The Office, Irfan Ajvazi

Irfan Ajvazi

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

€1,500

Photography, Children in Boat, Ken Heyman

Ken Heyman

Photography . 27.9 x 35.6 x 1.3 cm Photography . 11 x 14 x 0.5 inch

€4,333

Photography, Groom, Tanguy Mendrisse

Tanguy Mendrisse

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

€160

Photography, Healthymood, Rodrigo

Rodrigo

Photography . 23.7 x 35.6 x 0.1 cm Photography . 9.3 x 14 x 0 inch

€1,999

Photography, Balti XI, Tanguy Mendrisse

Tanguy Mendrisse

Photography . 30 x 24 x 0.1 cm Photography . 11.8 x 9.4 x 0 inch

€130

Photography, Love in the tropics, Rodrigo

Rodrigo

Photography . 35.6 x 23.8 x 0.1 cm Photography . 14 x 9.4 x 0 inch

€1,999

Painting, Warsaw 6, Joanna Woyda

Joanna Woyda

Painting . 22 x 49 cm Painting . 8.7 x 19.3 inch

€350

Photography, Le chapeau, Tanguy Mendrisse

Tanguy Mendrisse

Photography . 30 x 24 x 0.1 cm Photography . 11.8 x 9.4 x 0 inch

€120

Print, Famiglia, Colomba Pino

Colomba Pino

Print . 49 x 35 x 1 cm Print . 19.3 x 13.8 x 0.4 inch

€390

Painting, Chat roule, Galka

Galka

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

€750

Fine Art Drawings, Les joueurs de boules, Rose Barbe

Rose Barbe

Fine Art Drawings . 30 x 40 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 11.8 x 15.7 x 0.4 inch

€480

Painting, The Road Home, Suprunchuk Yuriy

Suprunchuk Yuriy

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

€305 €214

Painting, Ensemble, Isabelle Hirtzig

Isabelle Hirtzig

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

€195

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