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, Cro-Lanta, Marie-Aude Molin

Marie-Aude Molin

Painting . 50 x 30 x 0.35 cm Painting . 19.7 x 11.8 x 0.1 inch

€360

Painting, Mystic drop, Nef

Nef

Painting . 49.5 x 34 x 2 cm Painting . 19.5 x 13.4 x 0.8 inch

€1,300

Photography, El Paso, James Sparshatt

James Sparshatt

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

€838

Photography, Mother, Kristina Trudorudo

Kristina Trudorudo

Photography . 35 x 27.5 x 0.3 cm Photography . 13.8 x 10.8 x 0.1 inch

€600

Fine Art Drawings, Untitled, Joan Albert

Joan Albert

Fine Art Drawings . 44 x 47 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 17.3 x 18.5 x 0 inch

€600

Painting, Suspension, L'Atlas

L'Atlas

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

€1,400

Painting, Freedom, Helen Spoon

Helen Spoon

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

€1,615

Painting, Princesse, Lili Tao

Lili Tao

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

€1,500

Painting, Brane, Christophe Mirallès

Christophe Mirallès

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

€1,200

Painting, Triangulum, Da Gyeom Jung

Da Gyeom Jung

Painting . 40.9 x 31.8 x 1 cm Painting . 16.1 x 12.5 x 0.4 inch

€600

Photography, Folium 5, Francesco Mussida

Francesco Mussida

Photography . 46 x 30.5 x 0.3 cm Photography . 18.1 x 12 x 0.1 inch

€1,300

Print, Sans titre, Jack Jacquot

Jack Jacquot

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

€40

Photography, Illusion, Tanguy Mendrisse

Tanguy Mendrisse

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

€160

Design, Small Lie Grey, Kaws

Kaws

Design . 28 x 4.5 x 5.5 cm Design . 11 x 1.8 x 2.2 inch

€800

Fine Art Drawings, Never Ending Period, Ghada Jamal

Ghada Jamal

Fine Art Drawings . 25 x 30 x 1.5 cm Fine Art Drawings . 9.8 x 11.8 x 0.6 inch

€900

Painting, Spring, Maka Batiashvili

Maka Batiashvili

Painting . 44 x 44 x 3 cm Painting . 17.3 x 17.3 x 1.2 inch

€5,000

Painting, Exotic trip, Mea Ambrozo

Mea Ambrozo

Painting . 46 x 33 x 1 cm Painting . 18.1 x 13 x 0.4 inch

€3,000

Painting, Lovers, Dr. Love

Dr. Love

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

€50

Painting, Eagle I, Pablo Viracocha

Pablo Viracocha

Painting . 26 x 20 cm Painting . 10.2 x 7.9 inch

€580

Painting, Mme Deborah, Zhi Rong Song

Zhi Rong Song

Painting . 41 x 31 x 1 cm Painting . 16.1 x 12.2 x 0.4 inch

€647

Painting, Wanbli, Mumuzepaint

Mumuzepaint

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

€560

Sculpture, Fleur d'IPN, Simon Laveuve

Simon Laveuve

Sculpture . 33 x 30 x 21 cm Sculpture . 13 x 11.8 x 8.3 inch

€1,800

Sculpture, Attitude III, Marine De Soos

Marine De Soos

Sculpture . 41.5 x 14 x 18 cm Sculpture . 16.3 x 5.5 x 7.1 inch

€5,700

Photography, Birds #8, Karine Nicolleau

Karine Nicolleau

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

€250 €225

Print, La terre, Alexis Gorodine

Alexis Gorodine

Print . 28.5 x 25.5 cm Print . 11.2 x 10 inch

€150

Fine Art Drawings, Autumn Lullaby, Kirill Postovit

Kirill Postovit

Fine Art Drawings . 21 x 29.7 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 8.3 x 11.7 x 0 inch

€599

Fine Art Drawings, Legato Pause, Timi O

Timi O

Fine Art Drawings . 29 x 20.5 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 11.4 x 8.1 x 0 inch

€224

Painting, Love abduction, Dr. Love

Dr. Love

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

€50

Sculpture, Lightness 3, Luis Rea

Luis Rea

Sculpture . 40 x 15 x 25 cm Sculpture . 15.7 x 5.9 x 9.8 inch

€3,325

Fine Art Drawings, Disco Night, Vakhtang Khelashvili

Vakhtang Khelashvili

Fine Art Drawings . 23 x 32 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 9.1 x 12.6 x 0 inch

€3,000

Painting, Soul Memory, Vild Art

Vild Art

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

€1,050

Photography, Desapego, Rocio Villanueva

Rocio Villanueva

Photography . 38.1 x 38.1 cm Photography . 15 x 15 inch

€1,200

Fine Art Drawings, Trees-II, Stanislav Bojankov

Stanislav Bojankov

Fine Art Drawings . 30 x 25 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 11.8 x 9.8 x 0 inch

€110

Sculpture, Willow, Deville-Chabrolle

Deville-Chabrolle

Sculpture . 30 x 35 x 12 cm Sculpture . 11.8 x 13.8 x 4.7 inch

€11,300

Photography, La belle endormie, Marick

Marick

Photography . 27 x 34 x 1 cm Photography . 10.6 x 13.4 x 0.4 inch

€400

Painting, Tristesse, Marion Lachant

Marion Lachant

Painting . 50 x 50 x 2.7 cm Painting . 19.7 x 19.7 x 1.1 inch

€300

Painting, Vaisseau, Florence Boré

Florence Boré

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

€1,000

Photography, Mur 006, Sophie Bassouls

Sophie Bassouls

Photography . 48 x 33 x 1 cm Photography . 18.9 x 13 x 0.4 inch

€750

Fine Art Drawings, Place des Vosges, Pascal Plazanet

Pascal Plazanet

Fine Art Drawings . 29.5 x 36 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 11.6 x 14.2 x 0 inch

€1,900

Photography, Voir, Marie VDB

Marie VDB

Photography . 30 x 30 cm Photography . 11.8 x 11.8 inch

€600

Photography, Hamah, Michel Eisenlohr

Michel Eisenlohr

Photography . 30 x 15 cm Photography . 11.8 x 5.9 inch

€1,100

Painting, Jim Morrison, Aranka's Art

Aranka's Art

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

€399

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