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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Photography, 5. Untitled, Larry Clark

Larry Clark

Photography . 19 x 28 x 0.1 cm Photography . 7.5 x 11 x 0 inch

€800

Sculpture, Apaisement, Changzheng Zhu

Changzheng Zhu

Sculpture . 32 x 24 x 24 cm Sculpture . 12.6 x 9.4 x 9.4 inch

€750

Photography, 7. Untitled, Larry Clark

Larry Clark

Photography . 19 x 28 x 0.1 cm Photography . 7.5 x 11 x 0 inch

€800 €560

Sculpture, Instante 2/8, Alberto Ascaso

Alberto Ascaso

Sculpture . 50 x 8 x 8 cm Sculpture . 19.7 x 3.1 x 3.1 inch

€3,900

Photography, Abandon, Maximilien Diaz

Maximilien Diaz

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

€800

Photography, Untitled2, Raquel Pellicano

Raquel Pellicano

Photography . 44 x 32 x 0.1 cm Photography . 17.3 x 12.6 x 0 inch

€780

Fine Art Drawings, Soft Collision, KatriTa

KatriTa

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

€269

Fine Art Drawings, La rosace, Georges Laporte

Georges Laporte

Fine Art Drawings . 34 x 24 cm Fine Art Drawings . 13.4 x 9.4 inch

€200

Painting, Small Flash V, Da Gyeom Jung

Da Gyeom Jung

Painting . 33.4 x 24.2 x 1 cm Painting . 13.1 x 9.5 x 0.4 inch

€500

Fine Art Drawings, Dessin 1, Walter Ciandrini

Walter Ciandrini

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

€600

Photography, Cloud, Amrita Bilimoria

Amrita Bilimoria

Photography . 45.7 x 45.7 x 0.5 cm Photography . 18 x 18 x 0.2 inch

€1,615

Fine Art Drawings, Woman, Pierre Georges Jeanniot

Pierre Georges Jeanniot

Fine Art Drawings . 47 x 31 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 18.5 x 12.2 x 0 inch

€450

Painting, By the road,, Roman Rembovsky

Roman Rembovsky

Painting . 39.9 x 50 x 2 cm Painting . 15.7 x 19.7 x 0.8 inch

€897

Painting, Untitled, Pietro Beretta

Pietro Beretta

Painting . 28 x 30 x 0.2 cm Painting . 11 x 11.8 x 0.1 inch

€750

Photography, Contemplation, Mourad Cherifi

Mourad Cherifi

Photography . 30 x 45 x 0.02 cm Photography . 11.8 x 17.7 x 0 inch

€450

Painting, Sans titre 6, Rong Su

Rong Su

Painting . 40 x 30 x 4 cm Painting . 15.7 x 11.8 x 1.6 inch

€800

Fine Art Drawings, Donna 3, Rossella Mercedes

Rossella Mercedes

Fine Art Drawings . 25.5 x 25.5 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 10 x 10 x 0 inch

€250

Print, Born with the force, Ske

Ske

Print . 29.7 x 42 x 0.1 cm Print . 11.7 x 16.5 x 0 inch

€149

Sculpture, Tiny Dancer III, Will Budgett

Will Budgett

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

€3,900

Photography, Kiss, NYC, Bob Gruen

Bob Gruen

Photography . 40.6 x 50.8 x 1.3 cm Photography . 16 x 20 x 0.5 inch

€2,378

Painting, Wind, Galya Popova

Galya Popova

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

€1,440

Fine Art Drawings, Free birds, Waleria Matelska

Waleria Matelska

Fine Art Drawings . 28.5 x 17 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 11.2 x 6.7 x 0 inch

€170

Painting, Still Notorious, Mr Popart

Mr Popart

Painting . 50 x 50 x 4 cm Painting . 19.7 x 19.7 x 1.6 inch

€800

Painting, Seagull, Wang Dianyu

Wang Dianyu

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

€1,000

Fine Art Drawings, Girls, Erhard Klepper

Erhard Klepper

Fine Art Drawings . 29 x 20 x 0.2 cm Fine Art Drawings . 11.4 x 7.9 x 0.1 inch

€700

Fine Art Drawings, Hats-Stah, Alberto Sordi

Alberto Sordi

Fine Art Drawings . 50 x 38 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 19.7 x 15 x 0 inch

€640

Fine Art Drawings, Untitled, Arnaud GIbersztajn

Arnaud GIbersztajn

Fine Art Drawings . 30 x 23 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 11.8 x 9.1 x 0.4 inch

€450

Sculpture, Structure 2, Sezny Peron

Sezny Peron

Sculpture . 49 x 35 x 3 cm Sculpture . 19.3 x 13.8 x 1.2 inch

€1,700

Painting, La cascade, Jian-Chung Tan

Jian-Chung Tan

Painting . 50 x 34 x 0.1 cm Painting . 19.7 x 13.4 x 0 inch

€850

Painting, Passage interdit, Idem

Idem

Painting . 47 x 47 x 3 cm Painting . 18.5 x 18.5 x 1.2 inch

€470

Sculpture, Figure, Jaromir Gargulak

Jaromir Gargulak

Sculpture . 28 x 8.3 x 7 cm Sculpture . 11 x 3.3 x 2.8 inch

€1,990

Fine Art Drawings, Manette, Jacques Yankel

Jacques Yankel

Fine Art Drawings . 41 x 32 x 5 cm Fine Art Drawings . 16.1 x 12.6 x 2 inch

€2,900

Fine Art Drawings, Locked, Nathan Chantob

Nathan Chantob

Fine Art Drawings . 46 x 46 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 18.1 x 18.1 x 0.4 inch

€2,600

Photography, Jabba the toaster, Samsofy

Samsofy

Photography . 36 x 24 x 1 cm Photography . 14.2 x 9.4 x 0.4 inch

€60

Print, Jet Set, Peter Doig

Peter Doig

Print . 35.6 x 30.5 x 1 cm Print . 14 x 12 x 0.4 inch

€5,500

Painting, Karpe Di, Bze Bzeland

Bze Bzeland

Painting . 42 x 29.7 cm Painting . 16.5 x 11.7 inch

€250

Painting, On the bridge, Galya Popova

Galya Popova

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

€1,600

Painting, Geranios, Josefa Sanz del Amo

Josefa Sanz del Amo

Painting . 50 x 32.5 x 0.1 cm Painting . 19.7 x 12.8 x 0 inch

€1,600

Photography, The smoker, Marie Minot

Marie Minot

Photography . 50 x 50 x 0.4 cm Photography . 19.7 x 19.7 x 0.2 inch

€1,100

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