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, Untitled, Robert Malaval

Robert Malaval

Fine Art Drawings . 27 x 22 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings . 10.6 x 8.7 x 0.1 inch

€1,200

Sculpture, Razinne, Fabrice Lettron

Fabrice Lettron

Sculpture . 50 x 50 x 20 cm Sculpture . 19.7 x 19.7 x 7.9 inch

€500

Painting, Water and Forest, Nestor Toro

Nestor Toro

Painting . 50.8 x 40.6 x 1.8 cm Painting . 20 x 16 x 0.7 inch

€922

Print, Concept #121, Petr Strnad

Petr Strnad

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

€320

Painting, Freedom cage, Elena Artgent

Elena Artgent

Painting . 50 x 50 x 1.8 cm Painting . 19.7 x 19.7 x 0.7 inch

€805

Painting, Past Present, Elena Artgent

Elena Artgent

Painting . 50 x 50 x 1.5 cm Painting . 19.7 x 19.7 x 0.6 inch

€805

Painting, Macadam XII, Jean-Luc Veret

Jean-Luc Veret

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

€200

Painting, Layer No.23, Doris Marten

Doris Marten

Painting . 40 x 32.5 x 2 cm Painting . 15.7 x 12.8 x 0.8 inch

€1,800

Print, Now Complete 3., Petr Strnad

Petr Strnad

Print . 39.5 x 26.5 x 0.1 cm Print . 15.6 x 10.4 x 0 inch

€390

Print, Now Complete 2, Petr Strnad

Petr Strnad

Print . 35.8 x 26.8 x 0.1 cm Print . 14.1 x 10.6 x 0 inch

€390

Photography, Ganga Talao, Jean-Guy Nakars

Jean-Guy Nakars

Photography . 20 x 37.5 x 0.1 cm Photography . 7.9 x 14.8 x 0 inch

€519

Print, Concept #110, Petr Strnad

Petr Strnad

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

€130

Print, Concept #32, Petr Strnad

Petr Strnad

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

€130

Print, Concept #30, Petr Strnad

Petr Strnad

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

€130

Painting, Cross stitch, Elena Artgent

Elena Artgent

Painting . 50 x 50 x 1.5 cm Painting . 19.7 x 19.7 x 0.6 inch

€805

Painting, Macadam XI, Jean-Luc Veret

Jean-Luc Veret

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

€300

Painting, Eclipse, Jean-Luc Veret

Jean-Luc Veret

Painting . 41 x 27 x 2 cm Painting . 16.1 x 10.6 x 0.8 inch

€200

Painting, Melting 4, Gina Vor

Gina Vor

Painting . 32 x 24 x 0.1 cm Painting . 12.6 x 9.4 x 0 inch

€150

Painting, Dynamics 2, Olga Mozul

Olga Mozul

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

€678

Painting, Create, Elena Artgent

Elena Artgent

Painting . 30 x 30 x 1.8 cm Painting . 11.8 x 11.8 x 0.7 inch

€660

Painting, Plan ahead No1, Elena Artgent

Elena Artgent

Painting . 40 x 30 x 1.8 cm Painting . 15.7 x 11.8 x 0.7 inch

€669

Sculpture, Unité II, Delphine Brabant

Delphine Brabant

Sculpture . 26 x 19 x 12 cm Sculpture . 10.2 x 7.5 x 4.7 inch

€3,900

Painting, Indras Net, Sanjoy Das

Sanjoy Das

Painting . 48.3 x 35.6 x 0.3 cm Painting . 19 x 14 x 0.1 inch

€557

Painting, Chirac  street Art, PyB

PyB

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

€200

Fine Art Drawings, L'ange, Quentin Badran

Quentin Badran

Fine Art Drawings . 29.7 x 21 x 0.02 cm Fine Art Drawings . 11.7 x 8.3 x 0 inch

€4,450

Painting, Dream, Elena Artgent

Elena Artgent

Painting . 40 x 30 x 1.8 cm Painting . 15.7 x 11.8 x 0.7 inch

€669

Painting, 10:32, Marija Nikolic

Marija Nikolic

Painting . 38.1 x 27.9 x 0.3 cm Painting . 15 x 11 x 0.1 inch

€687

Fine Art Drawings, Paysage, Patrick Lanneau

Patrick Lanneau

Fine Art Drawings . 30 x 42 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 11.8 x 16.5 x 0 inch

€250

Fine Art Drawings, Melos seeds, Violetta Arnesen

Violetta Arnesen

Fine Art Drawings . 39 x 28 x 0.01 cm Fine Art Drawings . 15.4 x 11 x 0 inch

€320

Painting, Bleu outremer, Romano Zanotti

Romano Zanotti

Painting . 32 x 40 x 0.1 cm Painting . 12.6 x 15.7 x 0 inch

€470 €423

Painting, Ambivalent, Almo

Almo

Painting . 34.8 x 24.9 x 0.3 cm Painting . 13.7 x 9.8 x 0.1 inch

€723

Fine Art Drawings, L'art rivé, Quentin Badran

Quentin Badran

Fine Art Drawings . 29.7 x 21 x 0.002 cm Fine Art Drawings . 11.7 x 8.3 x 0 inch

€5,500

Painting, Control, Almo

Almo

Painting . 34.8 x 24.9 x 0.3 cm Painting . 13.7 x 9.8 x 0.1 inch

€723

Painting, Red allert, Almo

Almo

Painting . 34.8 x 24.9 x 2.5 cm Painting . 13.7 x 9.8 x 1 inch

€723

Painting, Untitled, Nino Tolomashvili

Nino Tolomashvili

Painting . 30 x 40 x 3 cm Painting . 11.8 x 15.7 x 1.2 inch

€300

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