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, Gémeaux, Albena Vatcheva

Albena Vatcheva

Painting . 30 x 25 x 2 cm Painting . 11.8 x 9.8 x 0.8 inch

€399 €380

Painting, Spring Voices, Olga Petiuk

Olga Petiuk

Painting . 30 x 30 x 1.5 cm Painting . 11.8 x 11.8 x 0.6 inch

€300

Painting, Untitled, Natia Sapanadze

Natia Sapanadze

Painting . 24 x 29 x 3 cm Painting . 9.4 x 11.4 x 1.2 inch

€400

Painting, The Guardian, Helen Spoon

Helen Spoon

Painting . 35 x 25 x 0.5 cm Painting . 13.8 x 9.8 x 0.2 inch

€410

Painting, N°3, Masayoshi Hanawa

Masayoshi Hanawa

Painting . 30 x 21 cm Painting . 11.8 x 8.3 inch

€750

Painting, The Reader, Dimitri Turava

Dimitri Turava

Painting . 40 x 30 x 0.2 cm Painting . 15.7 x 11.8 x 0.1 inch

€250

Painting, Untitled IV, Rachel Isadora

Rachel Isadora

Painting . 27.9 x 35.6 x 5.1 cm Painting . 11 x 14 x 2 inch

€684

Print, Iceberg, Bruno Roudil

Bruno Roudil

Print . 32 x 24 x 2 cm Print . 12.6 x 9.4 x 0.8 inch

€360

Print, Danse I, Bruno Roudil

Bruno Roudil

Print . 32 x 24 x 2 cm Print . 12.6 x 9.4 x 0.8 inch

€360

Fine Art Drawings, Horn Boy, Michael Grine

Michael Grine

Fine Art Drawings . 30.5 x 22.9 x 0 cm Fine Art Drawings . 12 x 9 x 0.01 inch

€273

Painting, La lyre, Albena Vatcheva

Albena Vatcheva

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

€119 €114

Print, Leg, Hans Bellmer

Leg

Hans Bellmer

Print . 36 x 32 x 0.1 cm Print . 14.2 x 12.6 x 0 inch

€450

Painting, Terra IV, Ludovic Isidore

Ludovic Isidore

Painting . 41 x 33 x 2 cm Painting . 16.1 x 13 x 0.8 inch

€800

Painting, My Angels, Isabelle Hirtzig

Isabelle Hirtzig

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

€155

Fine Art Drawings, Direction, Yana Dmitrieva

Yana Dmitrieva

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

€365

Painting, N°2, Masayoshi Hanawa

Masayoshi Hanawa

Painting . 30 x 21 cm Painting . 11.8 x 8.3 inch

€750

Painting, Thirst, Oleg Litvinov

Oleg Litvinov

Painting . 29 x 30 x 2 cm Painting . 11.4 x 11.8 x 0.8 inch

€600

Painting, Le chariot, Mina Mond

Mina Mond

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

€600

Painting, Cute babies, Olha Vlasova

Olha Vlasova

Painting . 24 x 30 x 0.3 cm Painting . 9.4 x 11.8 x 0.1 inch

€300

Painting, Gémeaux, Albena Vatcheva

Albena Vatcheva

Painting . 43 x 43 x 0.3 cm Painting . 16.9 x 16.9 x 0.1 inch

€399 €380

Sculpture, Surpris Par la Nuit, Wabé

Wabé

Sculpture . 44 x 23 x 21 cm Sculpture . 17.3 x 9.1 x 8.3 inch

€3,900

Painting, Paty Paty, Miyuki Takanashi

Miyuki Takanashi

Painting . 33.4 x 24.3 x 3 cm Painting . 13.1 x 9.6 x 1.2 inch

€450

Painting, Last Attempt, Gegham Hunanyan

Gegham Hunanyan

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

€292 €233

Sculpture, Bitxi, Pascal Billard

Pascal Billard

Sculpture . 35 x 29 x 12 cm Sculpture . 13.8 x 11.4 x 4.7 inch

€790

Painting, Tannen, Osse Müller

Osse Müller

Painting . 50 x 50 x 1 cm Painting . 19.7 x 19.7 x 0.4 inch

€8,500

Print, Basilisk, Fifo Stricker

Fifo Stricker

Print . 44 x 34.5 x 0.1 cm Print . 17.3 x 13.6 x 0 inch

€500

Fine Art Drawings, Forgiveness, Tomo Sakurai

Tomo Sakurai

Fine Art Drawings . 45 x 33 x 2.2 cm Fine Art Drawings . 17.7 x 13 x 0.9 inch

€1,800

Print, Le Chariot, Thaddée

Thaddée

Print . 27 x 18 cm Print . 10.6 x 7.1 inch

€111

Painting, N°1, Masayoshi Hanawa

Masayoshi Hanawa

Painting . 30 x 21 cm Painting . 11.8 x 8.3 inch

€750

Painting, Dreams, Valery Savenets

Valery Savenets

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

€264

Painting, Thumbelina, Valery Savenets

Valery Savenets

Painting . 45 x 45 x 2 cm Painting . 17.7 x 17.7 x 0.8 inch

€425

Painting, Snow Waltz, Elena Lukina

Elena Lukina

Painting . 30 x 25 x 2 cm Painting . 11.8 x 9.8 x 0.8 inch

€500

Painting, Life and death, Shank Arte

Shank Arte

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

€450

Sculpture, Mi-Siren, Arman

Arman

Sculpture . 25 x 26 x 17 cm Sculpture . 9.8 x 10.2 x 6.7 inch

€6,000

Painting, Jonas, Jean-Claude Silbermann

Jean-Claude Silbermann

Painting . 32 x 47 x 2 cm Painting . 12.6 x 18.5 x 0.8 inch

€2,400

Fine Art Drawings, Between Worlds, Julia Shilo

Julia Shilo

Fine Art Drawings . 42 x 30 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 16.5 x 11.8 x 0 inch

€319 €287

Painting, Unknown Cities, Lucio Forte

Lucio Forte

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

€327

Sculpture, Cornus, Pascal Billard

Pascal Billard

Sculpture . 35 x 11 x 16 cm Sculpture . 13.8 x 4.3 x 6.3 inch

€790

Fine Art Drawings, Lobbyist, Osse Müller

Osse Müller

Fine Art Drawings . 40 x 40 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 15.7 x 15.7 x 0 inch

€1,500

Painting, Untitled, Teppei Ikehila

Teppei Ikehila

Painting . 33 x 33 x 3 cm Painting . 13 x 13 x 1.2 inch

€620

Photography, Diptych, Javier Molina

Javier Molina

Photography . 21 x 29.7 x 0.1 cm Photography . 8.3 x 11.7 x 0 inch

€459

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