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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Print, Le lion, Gilles Aillaud

Gilles Aillaud

Print . 35 x 25 cm Print . 13.8 x 9.8 inch

€1,200

Print, Passe Temps, Arman

Arman

Print . 40 x 40 x 8 cm Print . 15.7 x 15.7 x 3.1 inch

€3,900 €3,315

Painting, Paysage 9, Li Dongfeng

Li Dongfeng

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

€700

Painting, Paysage III, Li Dongfeng

Li Dongfeng

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

€700

Painting, About fear, Yichao Sun

Yichao Sun

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

€1,500

Photography, White Spirit IV, Angélique

Angélique

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

€1,500

Photography, Autoportrait II, Feng Hatat

Feng Hatat

Photography . 50 x 35 x 2 cm Photography . 19.7 x 13.8 x 0.8 inch

€600

Painting, If I were Belle, Irina Bast

Irina Bast

Painting . 40 x 50 x 1 cm Painting . 15.7 x 19.7 x 0.4 inch

€506

Painting, Two Sisters, Lena Langer

Lena Langer

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

€1,331

Painting, Untitled 4, Tarek Butayhi

Tarek Butayhi

Painting . 50 x 50 cm Painting . 19.7 x 19.7 inch

€1,500

Painting, Code 1956, Thierry Carrier

Thierry Carrier

Painting . 38 x 46 x 2 cm Painting . 15 x 18.1 x 0.8 inch

€1,800

Photography, Ciel 21, Feng Hatat

Feng Hatat

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

€600

Painting, Paysage 7, Li Dongfeng

Li Dongfeng

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

€550

Photography, Arbre mort, Feng Hatat

Feng Hatat

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

€600

Photography, Ciel 12, Feng Hatat

Feng Hatat

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

€600

Photography, Solitude, Feng Hatat

Feng Hatat

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

€600

Photography, Tunnel, Feng Hatat

Feng Hatat

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

€600

Photography, Ciel 20, Feng Hatat

Feng Hatat

Photography . 30 x 45 x 2 cm Photography . 11.8 x 17.7 x 0.8 inch

€600

Photography, Tunnel, Feng Hatat

Feng Hatat

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

€500

Photography, Berlin I, Feng Hatat

Feng Hatat

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

€600

Photography, Ciel 5, Feng Hatat

Feng Hatat

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

€600

Sculpture, Miss Love, Virginia Benedicto

Virginia Benedicto

Sculpture . 30 x 30 x 30 cm Sculpture . 11.8 x 11.8 x 11.8 inch

€2,100 €1,890

Painting, Oryx, Irina Sazonova

Irina Sazonova

Painting . 40 x 40 x 3.5 cm Painting . 15.7 x 15.7 x 1.4 inch

€887

Photography, El Barbudo, James Sparshatt

James Sparshatt

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

€835

Fine Art Drawings, Théorèmes #1, Nagsoul

Nagsoul

Fine Art Drawings . 22 x 32 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 8.7 x 12.6 x 0 inch

€800

15/100