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, Untitled, Coll Bardolet

Coll Bardolet

Painting . 25 x 35 x 2 cm Painting . 9.8 x 13.8 x 0.8 inch

€1,600

Painting, Clin d'oeil, Genny B

Genny B

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

€230

Painting, Espoir Vert, Pepe Puntas

Pepe Puntas

Painting . 50 x 36 cm Painting . 19.7 x 14.2 inch

€1,780

Painting, Mixing and duality, BEM

BEM

Painting . 50 x 40 x 3 cm Painting . 19.7 x 15.7 x 1.2 inch

€9,000

Print, Stop 2/2, Syr

Syr

Print . 29.7 x 21 x 0.2 cm Print . 11.7 x 8.3 x 0.1 inch

€280

Painting, H3#2023, Stephan Laplanche

Stephan Laplanche

Painting . 33 x 24 x 2 cm Painting . 13 x 9.4 x 0.8 inch

€1,200

Painting, Bauformen, Wolfgang Leber

Wolfgang Leber

Painting . 24 x 29.8 x 0.2 cm Painting . 9.4 x 11.7 x 0.1 inch

€900

Painting, Artwork 7, Cécile Lacombe

Cécile Lacombe

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

€550

Sculpture, Hidra, Aniana Heras

Aniana Heras

Sculpture . 37.8 x 29 x 15 cm Sculpture . 14.9 x 11.4 x 5.9 inch

€2,567

Painting, Voice of Morning, Itay Magen

Itay Magen

Painting . 50 x 50 x 2.5 cm Painting . 19.7 x 19.7 x 1 inch

€888

Painting, Cargos, Yannis Markantonakis

Yannis Markantonakis

Painting . 27 x 36 x 2 cm Painting . 10.6 x 14.2 x 0.8 inch

€2,500

Painting, Pink Cradle, Su Bin Lim

Su Bin Lim

Painting . 24.2 x 33.4 x 3 cm Painting . 9.5 x 13.1 x 1.2 inch

€1,000

Sculpture, Noa's dress 2, Pere Sala

Pere Sala

Sculpture . 43 x 38 x 12 cm Sculpture . 16.9 x 15 x 4.7 inch

€1,870

Sculpture, Family, Petr Kuba

Petr Kuba

Sculpture . 30 x 10 x 8 cm Sculpture . 11.8 x 3.9 x 3.1 inch

€2,990

Print, Sans titre 4, Alëxone

Alëxone

Print . 42 x 30 cm Print . 16.5 x 11.8 inch

€325

Sculpture, Afro Revo VIII, Lanre Studio

Lanre Studio

Sculpture . 48 x 35 x 5 cm Sculpture . 18.9 x 13.8 x 2 inch

€625

Painting, High Above, Timon Sloane

Timon Sloane

Painting . 40.6 x 30.5 x 1.3 cm Painting . 16 x 12 x 0.5 inch

€808

Painting, Untitled, Henri Pfeiffer

Henri Pfeiffer

Painting . 46 x 32 x 0.1 cm Painting . 18.1 x 12.6 x 0 inch

€5,500

Painting, Blue space II, Luis Medina

Luis Medina

Painting . 39.9 x 39.9 x 4.1 cm Painting . 15.7 x 15.7 x 1.6 inch

€592

Fine Art Drawings, London, Jo Little

Jo Little

Fine Art Drawings . 40 x 30 x 0.01 cm Fine Art Drawings . 15.7 x 11.8 x 0 inch

€800

Painting, Sitges, Ignasi Mundo

Ignasi Mundo

Painting . 45 x 33 x 0.3 cm Painting . 17.7 x 13 x 0.1 inch

€600

Print, Happy Pill, Ske

Ske

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

€175

Sculpture, Doggy John, Julien Marinetti

Julien Marinetti

Sculpture . 36 x 45 x 25 cm Sculpture . 14.2 x 17.7 x 9.8 inch

€13,900

Painting, Icon Betty, Tommy

Tommy

Painting . 45 x 30 x 1 cm Painting . 17.7 x 11.8 x 0.4 inch

€2,400

Fine Art Drawings, Putain, Pieter Ceizer

Pieter Ceizer

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

€540

Fine Art Drawings, Des racines au nectar, Oji

Oji

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

€1,000

Fine Art Drawings, Untitled (44), Mansour El Habre

Mansour El Habre

Fine Art Drawings . 42 x 30 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 16.5 x 11.8 x 0.4 inch

€1,900

Painting, One afternoon, Joanna BM

Joanna BM

Painting . 50 x 50 x 3.5 cm Painting . 19.7 x 19.7 x 1.4 inch

€2,650

Print, Admiracion, Juan Ripolles

Juan Ripolles

Print . 30 x 20 x 0.2 cm Print . 11.8 x 7.9 x 0.1 inch

€390

Painting, Caveman, Sofiane Benyahia

Sofiane Benyahia

Painting . 33 x 22 x 2 cm Painting . 13 x 8.7 x 0.8 inch

€3,660

Painting, Sea foam 7, Anna Peserico

Anna Peserico

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

€900

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