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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Print, Chronos, Bernard Louédin

Bernard Louédin

Print . 43 x 35 x 0.1 cm Print . 16.9 x 13.8 x 0 inch

€260

Fine Art Drawings, Snow clad fir, Simon Kozhin

Simon Kozhin

Fine Art Drawings . 30 x 21.5 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 11.8 x 8.5 x 0 inch

€2,800

Painting, Family, Lee Yu Min

Lee Yu Min

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

€340

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

Painting, Untitled, Vicente Verdú

Vicente Verdú

Painting . 27.3 x 25 cm Painting . 10.7 x 9.8 inch

€500

Painting, Afterparty, Liubou Sas

Liubou Sas

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

€2,500

Painting, Flash, Giuseppe Madonia

Giuseppe Madonia

Painting . 42 x 30 x 0.2 cm Painting . 16.5 x 11.8 x 0.1 inch

€500

Painting, M Chedid, Spaco

Spaco

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

€280

Print, Concept #131, Petr Strnad

Petr Strnad

Print . 50 x 33.3 x 0.1 cm Print . 19.7 x 13.1 x 0 inch

€320

Print, Concept #115, Petr Strnad

Petr Strnad

Print . 50 x 33.3 x 0.1 cm Print . 19.7 x 13.1 x 0 inch

€320

Painting, Rempart, Florence Boré

Florence Boré

Painting . 22 x 30 x 0.3 cm Painting . 8.7 x 11.8 x 0.1 inch

€800

Print, Cafe 2, Colomba Pino

Colomba Pino

Print . 28 x 19.5 x 1 cm Print . 11 x 7.7 x 0.4 inch

€280

Painting, Daylight, Valery Savenets

Valery Savenets

Painting . 21 x 30 x 2 cm Painting . 8.3 x 11.8 x 0.8 inch

€250

Painting, Pre-Spring, Valery Savenets

Valery Savenets

Painting . 30 x 45 x 2 cm Painting . 11.8 x 17.7 x 0.8 inch

€290

Painting, Untitled 80, Enrique Samama

Enrique Samama

Painting . 19 x 27 x 2.5 cm Painting . 7.5 x 10.6 x 1 inch

€650

Print, Hope, Santicri

Santicri

Print . 40 x 40 x 0.2 cm Print . 15.7 x 15.7 x 0.1 inch

€395

Photography, Rebalance, Ali Buhamad

Ali Buhamad

Photography . 40 x 30 x 5 cm Photography . 15.7 x 11.8 x 2 inch

€1,000

Photography, Busy Street, 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, Le circassien, Michel Verna

Michel Verna

Photography . 30 x 45 x 0.2 cm Photography . 11.8 x 17.7 x 0.1 inch

€500

Painting, Cold, Wang Dianyu

Wang Dianyu

Painting . 35 x 20 x 3 cm Painting . 13.8 x 7.9 x 1.2 inch

€2,400

Painting, Paysages 108, Jun Peng Wu

Jun Peng Wu

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

€600

Sculpture, Emergence, Réjane LeChat

Réjane LeChat

Sculpture . 33 x 48 x 13 cm Sculpture . 13 x 18.9 x 5.1 inch

€2,800

Print, Sans titre, Lionel

Lionel

Print . 29.5 x 23 cm Print . 11.6 x 9.1 inch

€220

Painting, Light, Oleksandr Khrapachov

Oleksandr Khrapachov

Painting . 45 x 30 x 2 cm Painting . 17.7 x 11.8 x 0.8 inch

€722

Print, Amaterasu, Olga Rakova

Olga Rakova

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

€350

Painting, Melting, Tomo Sakurai

Tomo Sakurai

Painting . 25.7 x 18.2 x 2 cm Painting . 10.1 x 7.2 x 0.8 inch

€500

Fine Art Drawings, L'etang perdu, Pierre Touron

Pierre Touron

Fine Art Drawings . 30 x 40 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 11.8 x 15.7 x 0 inch

€650

Painting, Watch II, Raül Mateo

Raül Mateo

Painting . 27 x 22 x 5 cm Painting . 10.6 x 8.7 x 2 inch

€650

Painting, Energy, Pol Ledent

Pol Ledent

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

€550

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