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, Fleur 17, Li Dongfeng

Li Dongfeng

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

€800

Photography, Rubis, Marie-Fa Lazzari

Marie-Fa Lazzari

Photography . 48 x 33 cm Photography . 18.9 x 13 inch

€375

Painting, Paysage 418, Li Dongfeng

Li Dongfeng

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

€800

Painting, Avalokitesvara, Taiyu Zhou

Taiyu Zhou

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

€800

Painting, Fleur 11, Li Dongfeng

Li Dongfeng

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

€800

Print, Cocktails 1, Claude Cruz

Claude Cruz

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

€260

Photography, Glimpse, Alexander Benz

Alexander Benz

Photography . 40 x 40 x 0.1 cm Photography . 15.7 x 15.7 x 0 inch

€460

Painting, Triangulum, Da Gyeom Jung

Da Gyeom Jung

Painting . 40.9 x 31.8 x 1 cm Painting . 16.1 x 12.5 x 0.4 inch

€600

Print, Alchimie 4, Julio Le Parc

Julio Le Parc

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

€1,000 €800

Photography, Le concours, Gérard Uféras

Gérard Uféras

Photography . 40 x 50 x 5 cm Photography . 15.7 x 19.7 x 2 inch

€1,500

Photography, Jonquilles, Stéphane Spach

Stéphane Spach

Photography . 50 x 40 x 0.1 cm Photography . 19.7 x 15.7 x 0 inch

€900

Print, TRESOR, Sophie Petetin

Sophie Petetin

Print . 40 x 40 x 0.5 cm Print . 15.7 x 15.7 x 0.2 inch

€180

Fine Art Drawings, Équilibré, Bze Bzeland

Bze Bzeland

Fine Art Drawings . 48.3 x 32.9 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 19 x 13 x 0 inch

€200

Painting, Small Flash V, Da Gyeom Jung

Da Gyeom Jung

Painting . 33.4 x 24.2 x 1 cm Painting . 13.1 x 9.5 x 0.4 inch

€500

Photography, Blue ball, Dmitry Savchenko

Dmitry Savchenko

Photography . 35 x 50 x 1 cm Photography . 13.8 x 19.7 x 0.4 inch

€950

Print, Earth, Robert Longo

Robert Longo

Print . 45.7 x 45.7 x 0.01 cm Print . 18 x 18 x 0 inch

€5,900

Print, Moon, Robert Longo

Robert Longo

Print . 29.2 x 29.2 x 0.01 cm Print . 11.5 x 11.5 x 0 inch

€5,900

Fine Art Drawings, Zen-3160, Ludoroy

Ludoroy

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

€650

Print, Alchimie 3, Julio Le Parc

Julio Le Parc

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

€1,000 €800

Fine Art Drawings, I'm Yours #2, Guillaume Piot

Guillaume Piot

Fine Art Drawings . 45 x 33 cm Fine Art Drawings . 17.7 x 13 inch

€950

Print, Mick, Gaby Joséphine

Gaby Joséphine

Print . 40 x 30 cm Print . 15.7 x 11.8 inch

€70

Print, Alchimie 2, Julio Le Parc

Julio Le Parc

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

€1,000 €800

Fine Art Drawings, I'm Yours #1, Guillaume Piot

Guillaume Piot

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

€1,000