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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Secrets of the night
Karl-Karol Chrobok
Painting - 48 x 34 x 0.1 cm Painting - 18.9 x 13.4 x 0 inch
$715
Hybrid Hero Sculpture
Pichi & Avo
Sculpture - 36 x 27 x 27 cm Sculpture - 14.2 x 10.6 x 10.6 inch
$2,205
Beyond the Visible
Yaacov Agam
Fine Art Drawings - 25.4 x 27.9 cm Fine Art Drawings - 10 x 11 inch
$2,000
The currency: 6274. nobody should hear it
Damien Hirst
Painting - 21.5 x 30 cm Painting - 8.5 x 11.8 inch
$22,054
Le trait - 04
Ludovica Cholet
Fine Art Drawings - 40 x 30 x 0.5 cm Fine Art Drawings - 15.7 x 11.8 x 0.2 inch
$715
4Seasons Autumn
Kseniia Turik Turik&Art
Painting - 50 x 40 x 3 cm Painting - 19.7 x 15.7 x 1.2 inch
$596
Blue Simphony / Symphonie en bleue
Moon Shin
Painting - 42 x 27 cm Painting - 16.5 x 10.6 inch
$3,517
Serpentant "hélicoïde rouge"
Yannick Bouillault
Sculpture - 46 x 13 x 11 cm Sculpture - 18.1 x 5.1 x 4.3 inch
$799
This is us, Vacation on the Happy Island series
Olha Vlasova
Painting - 50 x 40 x 1.5 cm Painting - 19.7 x 15.7 x 0.6 inch
$715
Poèmes insoumis
André Masson
Fine Art Drawings - 31.5 x 25 x 0.2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 12.4 x 9.8 x 0.1 inch
$1,788 $1,520
Natural Elements n°5
Imhathai Suwatthanasilp
Fine Art Drawings - 30 x 40 x 2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.8 x 15.7 x 0.8 inch
$1,311
Flowers Painting African Tree Pohutukawa
Olga Nikitina
Painting - 50 x 50 x 2 cm Painting - 19.7 x 19.7 x 0.8 inch
$954
Petit Léopard sur le rocher
Patrick Villas
Sculpture - 29 x 23 x 16 cm Sculpture - 11.4 x 9.1 x 6.3 inch
$7,153
Make art not war
Tarek
Fine Art Drawings - 39.5 x 27 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 15.6 x 10.6 x 0 inch
$1,013
Arche à intérioriser
Sylvie Groud
Sculpture - 30 x 20 x 20 cm Sculpture - 11.8 x 7.9 x 7.9 inch
$858
Dada The Fairy Tail
Neliko Mamuchashvili
Painting - 50 x 40 x 2 cm Painting - 19.7 x 15.7 x 0.8 inch
$954
Something to lick mini #029
Hersk
Sculpture - 41 x 13 x 13 cm Sculpture - 16.1 x 5.1 x 5.1 inch
$834
USA Code Barre Steve McQueen Sport 3
Elmago
Painting - 50 x 50 x 4 cm Painting - 19.7 x 19.7 x 1.6 inch
$1,538
La femme au ballon
Pierre Gimenez
Sculpture - 36 x 13 x 23 cm Sculpture - 14.2 x 5.1 x 9.1 inch
$989
A Graffiti Life
André Saraiva
Fine Art Drawings - 30.5 x 22 x 5 cm Fine Art Drawings - 12 x 8.7 x 2 inch
$775
Un Acteur de Talent - Original Frottage
Max Ernst
Fine Art Drawings - 36 x 28 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 14.2 x 11 x 0 inch
$39,340
Composition en Trois Couleurs
Pablo Picasso
Print - 44.5 x 33.5 x 0.1 cm Print - 17.5 x 13.2 x 0 inch
$1,788
Ali Patterson II
Gerry Cranham
Photography - 30 x 45 x 0.1 cm Photography - 11.8 x 17.7 x 0 inch
$918
Les visages - Portrait en diptyque et Abstraction colorée
Kristof
Painting - 32 x 42 x 0.1 cm Painting - 12.6 x 16.5 x 0 inch
$715
One Dollar in my Red Canvas
Karl Lagasse
Print - 30 x 20 x 0.3 cm Print - 11.8 x 7.9 x 0.1 inch
$751
I got ingot...To resell in 2030
Marie Serruya
Sculpture - 48 x 30 x 3 cm Sculpture - 18.9 x 11.8 x 1.2 inch
$2,861
Miroir d'Artistes
Jesús-Rafael Soto
Print - 50.2 x 50.2 x 5.1 cm Print - 19.75 x 19.75 x 2 inch
$24,000
Conversation of breath n°1
Jiratchaya Pripwai
Fine Art Drawings - 50 x 50 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 19.7 x 19.7 x 0.4 inch
$1,550