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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Red Lisa #13
Laurent Anastay-Ponsolle
Painting - 46 x 38 x 0.1 cm Painting - 18.1 x 15 x 0 inch
£572
XVI From The Red Series
Megha Joshi
Painting - 29.7 x 21.1 x 0.3 cm Painting - 11.7 x 8.3 x 0.1 inch
£923
Dance of the Unruly Pullover
Gregg Friedberg
Photography - 35.6 x 30.5 cm Photography - 14 x 12 inch
£660
XIV and XV Diptych. From The Red Series
Megha Joshi
Painting - 29.7 x 42.2 x 0.3 cm Painting - 11.7 x 16.6 x 0.1 inch
£1,846
Juliette
Guy Delaroque
Fine Art Drawings - 30 x 50 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.8 x 19.7 x 0.1 inch
£616
Alice
Guy Delaroque
Fine Art Drawings - 30 x 50 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.8 x 19.7 x 0.1 inch
£616
Salamba Cabaret
Merry Kerpitchian (Merry K)
Sculpture - 45 x 32 x 17 cm Sculpture - 17.7 x 12.6 x 6.7 inch
£1,628
In my web
Rossella Mercedes
Fine Art Drawings - 42 x 29.7 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 16.5 x 11.7 x 0 inch
£264
Treno
Rossella Mercedes
Fine Art Drawings - 42 x 29.7 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 16.5 x 11.7 x 0 inch
£264
Puppet
Rossella Mercedes
Fine Art Drawings - 42 x 29.7 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 16.5 x 11.7 x 0 inch
£264
Sans titre
Bruce Tchibozo
Fine Art Drawings - 32.5 x 50 cm Fine Art Drawings - 12.8 x 19.7 inch
£528
Field of love
Rossella Mercedes
Fine Art Drawings - 29 x 42 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.4 x 16.5 x 0 inch
£290
Réflexion - série corps de femme nu
Chantal Molinié Jonquet
Sculpture - 26 x 15 x 25 cm Sculpture - 10.2 x 5.9 x 9.8 inch
£2,750
Aluminum figurine of a woman
Ohad Ben-Ayala
Sculpture - 29 x 7 x 6 cm Sculpture - 11.4 x 2.8 x 2.4 inch
£1,584
N°22011 Hommes Taureaux Etude 1
Capton
Painting - 40 x 30 x 0.3 cm Painting - 15.7 x 11.8 x 0.1 inch
£176
Ondine série corps de femme
Chantal Molinié Jonquet
Sculpture - 11 x 48 x 21 cm Sculpture - 4.3 x 18.9 x 8.3 inch
£3,485
Désinvolte série corps de femme
Chantal Molinié Jonquet
Sculpture - 44 x 19 x 29 cm Sculpture - 17.3 x 7.5 x 11.4 inch
£4,048
La conquérante série corps de femme
Chantal Molinié Jonquet
Sculpture - 33 x 45 x 20 cm Sculpture - 13 x 17.7 x 7.9 inch
£3,960
Some girls #11
Gwendoline Hausermann
Fine Art Drawings - 44 x 32 cm Fine Art Drawings - 17.3 x 12.6 inch
£792
La fille au bord de l'eau
Olena Siniuhina
Painting - 50 x 48 x 2 cm Painting - 19.7 x 18.9 x 0.8 inch
£255
La danseuse de cabaret assise
Patricia Grangier
Sculpture - 30 x 10 x 20 cm Sculpture - 11.8 x 3.9 x 7.9 inch
£2,640
La danseuse de cabaret assise
Patricia Grangier
Sculpture - 30 x 10 x 20 cm Sculpture - 11.8 x 3.9 x 7.9 inch
£2,640
Sensuelle - série sculpture corps de femme
Chantal Nottrelet
Sculpture - 40 x 27 x 26 cm Sculpture - 15.7 x 10.6 x 10.2 inch
£722
La Danse de l’Amour
Nina Khemchyan
Sculpture - 44 x 44 x 24.5 cm Sculpture - 17.3 x 17.3 x 9.6 inch
£6,952
Guerrero herido
Amancio Gonzalez
Sculpture - 29.5 x 48.5 x 31 cm Sculpture - 11.6 x 19.1 x 12.2 inch
£4,488
Emmeline and the butterfly
Ottelien Huckin
Painting - 32 x 24 x 1 cm Painting - 12.6 x 9.4 x 0.4 inch
£750
Classic Torso
Aloyzas Smilingis
Sculpture - 34 x 22 x 16 cm Sculpture - 13.4 x 8.7 x 6.3 inch
£7,921
Cool and Reclined
Christian Frederiksen
Fine Art Drawings - 22 x 30 x 0.2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 8.7 x 11.8 x 0.1 inch
£783
N°22013 Hommes Taureaux Etude 3
Capton
Painting - 40 x 30 x 0.3 cm Painting - 15.7 x 11.8 x 0.1 inch
£176
On the wave of my soul
Olena Kishkurno
Painting - 35 x 40 x 2 cm Painting - 13.8 x 15.7 x 0.8 inch
£352
I`ll call you in the midnight
Olena Kishkurno
Painting - 35 x 40 x 2 cm Painting - 13.8 x 15.7 x 0.8 inch
£352
Union
Franceleine Debellefontaine
Sculpture - 39 x 18 x 12 cm Sculpture - 15.4 x 7.1 x 4.7 inch
£4,224
La danseuse
Merry Kerpitchian (Merry K)
Sculpture - 15 x 31 x 11 cm Sculpture - 5.9 x 12.2 x 4.3 inch
£3,300
La Belle, en Mer ou dans les Nues ?
Anne-Marie Vesco
Painting - 25.5 x 20.05 x 0.4 cm Painting - 10 x 7.9 x 0.2 inch
£880
