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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Fine Art Drawings, Au Grand Radeau, Yves Brayer

Yves Brayer

Fine Art Drawings . 20.5 x 29.5 cm Fine Art Drawings . 8.1 x 11.6 inch

€500

Fine Art Drawings, Pond, Galya Popova

Galya Popova

Fine Art Drawings . 50 x 46 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 19.7 x 18.1 x 0 inch

€499

Fine Art Drawings, Looking up, Frank De Blok

Frank De Blok

Fine Art Drawings . 21 x 30 cm Fine Art Drawings . 8.3 x 11.8 inch

€220 €187

Fine Art Drawings, Luna, Nef

Nef

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

€200

Fine Art Drawings, Sans titre, Vladimir Velickovic

Vladimir Velickovic

Fine Art Drawings . 32.5 x 20.5 cm Fine Art Drawings . 12.8 x 8.1 inch

€1,150

Fine Art Drawings, Botticelli street #3, Lucio Forte

Lucio Forte

Fine Art Drawings . 42 x 29.7 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 16.5 x 11.7 x 0 inch

€110

Painting, Landscape 414, Li Dongfeng

Li Dongfeng

Painting . 49 x 49 x 1 cm Painting . 19.3 x 19.3 x 0.4 inch

€800

Painting, Réf/6981, Patrick Loste

Patrick Loste

Painting . 42 x 32 cm Painting . 16.5 x 12.6 inch

€950

Fine Art Drawings, Sans titre, Vladimir Velickovic

Vladimir Velickovic

Fine Art Drawings . 32.5 x 21.5 cm Fine Art Drawings . 12.8 x 8.5 inch

€1,150

Painting, Changes, Jana & JS

Jana & JS

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

€1,500

Fine Art Drawings, Sans titre, Rosemarie Koczy

Rosemarie Koczy

Fine Art Drawings . 42 x 34 cm Fine Art Drawings . 16.5 x 13.4 inch

€1,500

Fine Art Drawings, Fin de journée, Linda Clerget

Linda Clerget

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

€500

Painting, Printemps 8, Qiong qiong Shao

Qiong qiong Shao

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

€1,400

Fine Art Drawings, Prosper, Dominique Pourchet

Dominique Pourchet

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

€195

Painting, Untitled #7, JonOne

JonOne

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

€1,200

Fine Art Drawings, Plaza, Frank De Blok

Frank De Blok

Fine Art Drawings . 21 x 30 cm Fine Art Drawings . 8.3 x 11.8 inch

€220 €187

Fine Art Drawings, AWD XL Black, Ashley Wood

Ashley Wood

Fine Art Drawings . 42.5 x 30.5 x 2 cm Fine Art Drawings . 16.7 x 12 x 0.8 inch

€1,800

Fine Art Drawings, Sunset sur lac, Baptiste Laurent

Baptiste Laurent

Fine Art Drawings . 50 x 35 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings . 19.7 x 13.8 x 0.1 inch

€450

Painting, Pêcheur II, Boxi Chen

Boxi Chen

Painting . 34 x 34 x 1 cm Painting . 13.4 x 13.4 x 0.4 inch

€500

Painting, Sans, Molo Molo

Molo Molo

Painting . 49 x 39 x 1 cm Painting . 19.3 x 15.4 x 0.4 inch

€1,500

Fine Art Drawings, Sans titre, Vladimir Velickovic

Vladimir Velickovic

Fine Art Drawings . 32.5 x 22.5 cm Fine Art Drawings . 12.8 x 8.9 inch

€1,150

Fine Art Drawings, 15M Ringers, Rodrigo Spinel

Rodrigo Spinel

Fine Art Drawings . 30 x 30 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings . 11.8 x 11.8 x 0.1 inch

€1,346

Fine Art Drawings, Sans titre, Walter Ciandrini

Walter Ciandrini

Fine Art Drawings . 50 x 40 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 19.7 x 15.7 x 0.4 inch

€600

Fine Art Drawings, Sans titre, Corneille

Corneille

Fine Art Drawings . 24 x 32.5 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 9.4 x 12.8 x 0 inch

€5,000

Fine Art Drawings, Sans titre, Rosemarie Koczy

Rosemarie Koczy

Fine Art Drawings . 42 x 34 cm Fine Art Drawings . 16.5 x 13.4 inch

€1,500

Painting, Lux, Aurélie Salvaing

Lux

Aurélie Salvaing

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

€1,100 €990

Painting, Untitled #10, JonOne

JonOne

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

€1,200

Painting, L04PG2, Giovanni Corrêa

Giovanni Corrêa

Painting . 29.7 x 21 x 1 cm Painting . 11.7 x 8.3 x 0.4 inch

€500,000

Fine Art Drawings, Sans titre, Gérard Schneider

Gérard Schneider

Fine Art Drawings . 41 x 32 x 0.05 cm Fine Art Drawings . 16.1 x 12.6 x 0 inch

€7,500

Fine Art Drawings, Au Cabaret, Yves Brayer

Yves Brayer

Fine Art Drawings . 30.5 x 23.5 cm Fine Art Drawings . 12 x 9.3 inch

€350

Fine Art Drawings, Mon dos, Ji-Yun

Ji-Yun

Fine Art Drawings . 42 x 29.7 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings . 16.5 x 11.7 x 0.1 inch

€800

Painting, Le passage, Marion Cicéron

Marion Cicéron

Painting . 33.5 x 49 x 0.2 cm Painting . 13.2 x 19.3 x 0.1 inch

€390

Fine Art Drawings, 9 to 5, Gabrielle Rul

Gabrielle Rul

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

€400

Fine Art Drawings, Sans titre, Rosemarie Koczy

Rosemarie Koczy

Fine Art Drawings . 42 x 34 cm Fine Art Drawings . 16.5 x 13.4 inch

€1,500

Painting, Lightpackers, Gabrielle Rul

Gabrielle Rul

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

€450

Fine Art Drawings, Image of Death, Eugene Berman

Eugene Berman

Fine Art Drawings . 39 x 29.5 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 15.4 x 11.6 x 0 inch

€1,000

Painting, Dancing Queen, Caalista

Caalista

Painting . 30 x 20 x 1 cm Painting . 11.8 x 7.9 x 0.4 inch

€940

Fine Art Drawings, Mes nuits apaches, Topolino

Topolino

Fine Art Drawings . 29.7 x 21 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 11.7 x 8.3 x 0.4 inch

€240

Painting, Fleurs, Ruiqiang Jin

Ruiqiang Jin

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

€500

Painting, Guerre, Taiyu Zhou

Taiyu Zhou

Painting . 48 x 45 x 1 cm Painting . 18.9 x 17.7 x 0.4 inch

€800

Painting, Le chien Bleu, Gabrielle Rul

Gabrielle Rul

Painting . 29.7 x 21 x 1 cm Painting . 11.7 x 8.3 x 0.4 inch

€450