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…

Search by Image

Save your search and find it in your favorites

16/100 1 10 14 15 16 17 18 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Categories

Subcategories

Small

Rugby 10

Sun and sea

The Rosy Cemetery

Butterfly's fantasy

Sans titre

Steve Mc Queen

Head, small

John Lennon Imagine One Peace Beatles Paix Rock'n'Roll

Rose Notre-Dame 2

Rose Notre-Dame 4

Rose Notre-Dame 6

Rose Notre-Dame 7

Joker - série Portraits hybrides

Smok - série portraits hybrides

Ambiguité graphique - série Portraits hybrides - Salvador Dali

Equivoque graphique - série portraits hybrides - Picasso

Enigme graphique - série portraits hybrides

Chinoiserie - série Portraits hybrides

Noh Mask

The Nap

Among the flowers

Toutes les deux

La haine

Wrote a Letter to you

Il sonno

Shakira’s portrait

Le Petit Prince dans l'herbe

Chunchu

Brown Jumper

Blue coat

Black hair

Portrait woman

Woman with brown hair and coat

Long brown dress

Pastel coat

Red shoes

Portrait green

Brown coat and white

Long red and brown dress

Purple brown dress

Red top

Red and white

Red cheeks

Brown Hat

Black hair and red

Light purple

Light blue shirt

Yellow ochre

Black and red

Portrait eye lash

Red cheeks brown hair

Yellow and brown

Curls

Mothers Path

Mask Time

Ally

"It was only a dream" The Notorious B.I.G

Avo Carlo

Arrière-plan

Sans titre

Portrait de Renée

Dessin 3 Création de Mode

Fille

Sans titre

Sans titre

Sans titre