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, Mademoiselle 38, Kaige Yang

Kaige Yang

Painting . 50 x 30 x 1 cm Painting . 19.7 x 11.8 x 0.4 inch

€1,400

Painting, Mademoiselle 32, Kaige Yang

Kaige Yang

Painting . 50 x 30 x 1 cm Painting . 19.7 x 11.8 x 0.4 inch

€1,200

Painting, Mademoiselle 36, Kaige Yang

Kaige Yang

Painting . 50 x 30 x 1 cm Painting . 19.7 x 11.8 x 0.4 inch

€1,200

Painting, Mademoiselle 21, Kaige Yang

Kaige Yang

Painting . 50 x 30 x 1 cm Painting . 19.7 x 11.8 x 0.4 inch

€1,200

Painting, Evening, A. Strelov

A. Strelov

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

€1,125

Painting, Meadow, A. Strelov

A. Strelov

Painting . 35 x 50 x 2 cm Painting . 13.8 x 19.7 x 0.8 inch

€949

Painting, Towards sunset, A. Strelov

A. Strelov

Painting . 35 x 50 x 2 cm Painting . 13.8 x 19.7 x 0.8 inch

€1,035

Painting, Vendedor Hanoy, M. Muro

M. Muro

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

€2,000

Painting, Morning Guard, Itay Magen

Itay Magen

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

€888

Sculpture, Danseurs, Ousmane Dermé

Ousmane Dermé

Sculpture . 43.2 x 15.2 x 14 cm Sculpture . 17 x 6 x 5.5 inch

€4,818

Painting, Lupus, Tarek

Tarek

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

€650

Painting, Oxford, Simon Kozhin

Simon Kozhin

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

€2,800

Sculpture, Michadette 7, Michadu

Michadu

Sculpture . 44 x 11 x 21 cm Sculpture . 17.3 x 4.3 x 8.3 inch

€300

Painting, N80, Anne-Marie Mary

N80

Anne-Marie Mary

Painting . 33 x 22 x 2.5 cm Painting . 13 x 8.7 x 1 inch

€300

Painting, Landscapes 196, Li Dongfeng

Li Dongfeng

Painting . 35 x 35 x 1 cm Painting . 13.8 x 13.8 x 0.4 inch

€550

Painting, Landscapes 195, Li Dongfeng

Li Dongfeng

Painting . 35 x 35 x 1 cm Painting . 13.8 x 13.8 x 0.4 inch

€550

Painting, Landscapes 193, Li Dongfeng

Li Dongfeng

Painting . 35 x 35 x 1 cm Painting . 13.8 x 13.8 x 0.4 inch

€550

Painting, Love, MrHope

MrHope

Painting . 30 x 30 x 4 cm Painting . 11.8 x 11.8 x 1.6 inch

€210

Painting, Roboïde, PRAB'Z

PRAB'Z

Painting . 40 x 30 x 1.5 cm Painting . 15.7 x 11.8 x 0.6 inch

€75

Fine Art Drawings, In My Garden 20201001-2, Yaki Li

Yaki Li

Fine Art Drawings . 40 x 28 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 15.7 x 11 x 0 inch

€185

Painting, Infinity VII, Karo Mkrtchyan

Karo Mkrtchyan

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

€800

Painting, Warmis, Reinaldo Chavez

Reinaldo Chavez

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

€720

Fine Art Drawings, Critical Path, Nagsoul

Nagsoul

Fine Art Drawings . 20 x 30 cm Fine Art Drawings . 7.9 x 11.8 inch

€500

Fine Art Drawings, Théorèmes #1, Nagsoul

Nagsoul

Fine Art Drawings . 22 x 32 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 8.7 x 12.6 x 0 inch

€800

Painting, La Faille 6, Delphine Dessein

Delphine Dessein

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

€1,260

Painting, Lightpackers, Gabrielle Rul

Gabrielle Rul

Painting . 32 x 24 x 1 cm Painting . 12.6 x 9.4 x 0.4 inch

€450

Painting, Face 2, Tarek Butayhi

Tarek Butayhi

Painting . 50 x 50 cm Painting . 19.7 x 19.7 inch

€1,345

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