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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Painting, Country House, Suprunchuk Yuriy

Suprunchuk Yuriy

Painting . 20 x 30 x 2 cm Painting . 7.9 x 11.8 x 0.8 inch

€305 €214

Painting, River, Evgeny Chernyakovsky

Evgeny Chernyakovsky

Painting . 39.9 x 39.9 x 2.5 cm Painting . 15.7 x 15.7 x 1 inch

€632

Painting, The Summit, Janusz Szpyt

Janusz Szpyt

Painting . 37 x 20 x 0.1 cm Painting . 14.6 x 7.9 x 0 inch

€790

Painting, Beyond the Clouds, Jane Nee

Jane Nee

Painting . 27 x 40.5 x 1.5 cm Painting . 10.6 x 15.9 x 0.6 inch

€325

Photography, Poolside Pairs, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

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

€2,850

Photography, Lech Ice Bar, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

Photography . 50.8 x 50.8 cm Photography . 20 x 20 inch

€3,420

Photography, Lech ice bar, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

Photography . 50.8 x 50.8 cm Photography . 20 x 20 inch

€3,420

Painting, Paysages 200, Daozhou Huang

Daozhou Huang

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

€450

Fine Art Drawings, Autumn, Margarita Zipman

Margarita Zipman

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

€542

Painting, Mountain Lake, Uliana Sal

Uliana Sal

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

€452

Painting, Paysages 252, Jun Peng Wu

Jun Peng Wu

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

€550

Painting, Tranquil Mojave, Lisa Elley

Lisa Elley

Painting . 30.5 x 30.5 x 3.8 cm Painting . 12 x 12 x 1.5 inch

€447

Fine Art Drawings, Street in Studenoy, Maksym Kisilov

Maksym Kisilov

Fine Art Drawings . 35.8 x 47.8 x 2.5 cm Fine Art Drawings . 14.1 x 18.8 x 1 inch

€1,084

Painting, Zwischen, Axel Gercke

Axel Gercke

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

€1,200

Painting, Night Mist, Tiffany Blaise

Tiffany Blaise

Painting . 40.6 x 30.5 x 0.3 cm Painting . 16 x 12 x 0.1 inch

€279

Painting, Volcán II, Charo Velasco

Charo Velasco

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

€405

Painting, Montenegro, Lea Karvala

Lea Karvala

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

€790

Painting, Autumn Talks/4, Helen Mount

Helen Mount

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

€500

Painting, Autumn Talks/3, Helen Mount

Helen Mount

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

€500

Fine Art Drawings, Beskydy, Maksym Kisilov

Maksym Kisilov

Fine Art Drawings . 35.8 x 47.8 x 2.5 cm Fine Art Drawings . 14.1 x 18.8 x 1 inch

€1,536

Fine Art Drawings, Efecte d'altitud 40, Pep Vidal

Pep Vidal

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

€1,250

Photography, Lunar, Rodrigo

Rodrigo

Photography . 40 x 30 x 0.01 cm Photography . 15.7 x 11.8 x 0 inch

€1,250

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