"Mountain sunset" - series Denia
Volodymyr Gluhomanyuk
Painting - 25 x 30 x 2 cm Painting - 9.8 x 11.8 x 0.8 inch
$644
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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Paysage abstrait géométrique
Henri Lainé
Painting - 50 x 34 x 0.1 cm Painting - 19.7 x 13.4 x 0 inch
$745
We All Make the Flowers Grow III (White)
Josh Sperling
Design - 35 x 42 x 8.9 cm Design - 13.8 x 16.5 x 3.5 inch
$2,815
Iconic Beauty #3
Benoit Lapray
Photography - 40 x 40 x 0.1 cm Photography - 15.7 x 15.7 x 0 inch
$715
100th Anniversary Celebration Coffret # 9 - Childhood
Fabrizio La Torre
Print - 29.7 x 21 x 0.3 cm Print - 11.7 x 8.3 x 0.1 inch
$775
Mystérieux et Fascinant
Pascal Dabere
Painting - 40 x 40 x 4 cm Painting - 15.7 x 15.7 x 1.6 inch
$834
Sans titre (16)
Philippe Garel
Fine Art Drawings - 28 x 35 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11 x 13.8 inch
$596
Visage Brun-Bleu
Pablo Picasso
Sculpture - 30.5 x 38.1 x 2.5 cm Sculpture - 12 x 15 x 1 inch
$40,000
L'Ame en couleurs
Agata Caliendo-Krystkowiak
Painting - 37 x 37 x 3.5 cm Painting - 14.6 x 14.6 x 1.4 inch
$811
Doors of Perception
Michael Vincent Manalo
Photography - 45.7 x 40.6 cm Photography - 18 x 16 inch
$954
The strength of spirit
Plamen Kostov
Painting - 50 x 50 x 2 cm Painting - 19.7 x 19.7 x 0.8 inch
$954
Tower of a white flower
Gotcha Gaios
Sculpture - 46 x 23 x 23 cm Sculpture - 18.1 x 9.1 x 9.1 inch
$894
Pilgrimage of Hope
Artyom Manukyan
Sculpture - 34 x 34 x 3 cm Sculpture - 13.4 x 13.4 x 1.2 inch
$750
Le Cinq
Nathan Chantob
Fine Art Drawings - 39 x 28.5 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 15.4 x 11.2 x 0.4 inch
$1,788
Manufacture des Gobelins
Georges Mathieu
Fine Art Drawings - 30 x 30 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.8 x 11.8 x 0 inch
$2,265
La Nascita, Milano Centrale, Italie
JR
Photography - 31 x 41 x 0.01 cm Photography - 12.2 x 16.1 x 0 inch
$1,429
Blue Scene
Tako Chanchaleishvili
Painting - 24.5 x 36.5 x 2 cm Painting - 9.6 x 14.4 x 0.8 inch
$894
Allégorie de fertilité
Anne-Marie Vesco
Painting - 33 x 26 x 2 cm Painting - 13 x 10.2 x 0.8 inch
$1,788
Hexa Miss Tic Tribute
Priscilla Vettese
Print - 43 x 29.7 x 0.2 cm Print - 16.9 x 11.7 x 0.1 inch
$107
Andi with Rolleiflex in Yamamoto coat
Oliver Hadji
Photography - 40 x 40 x 1 cm Photography - 15.7 x 15.7 x 0.4 inch
$954
Eclosion
Alexandre Monteiro (Hopare)
Sculpture - 35 x 14 x 12 cm Sculpture - 13.8 x 5.5 x 4.7 inch
$11,921
The Journey 001
Angelica Tcherassi
Painting - 39.9 x 30 x 0.3 cm Painting - 15.7 x 11.8 x 0.1 inch
$1,400
Kokeshi arbre, ou la prise de tête
Yannick Le Bloas
Sculpture - 28 x 19 x 19 cm Sculpture - 11 x 7.5 x 7.5 inch
$477
Paradis perdu 9 - série portraits de femmes
Stéphane Vereecken
Photography - 40 x 30 x 2 cm Photography - 15.7 x 11.8 x 0.8 inch
$596
Mannequins (campagne Versace)
Sante D'Orazio
Photography - 38.5 x 49.5 cm Photography - 15.2 x 19.5 inch
$1,788
Photo 111103.4
Gottfried Jäger
Photography - 50 x 50 x 1 cm Photography - 19.7 x 19.7 x 0.4 inch
$7,749
Être en première ligne - scène de plage et ses parasols - série Paysage de bord de mer
Gabrielle
Painting - 30 x 40 x 0.2 cm Painting - 11.8 x 15.7 x 0.1 inch
$745
Mainbocher Corset. Paris. Printed later
Horst P. Horst
Photography - 35.6 x 27.9 x 0.3 cm Photography - 14 x 11 x 0.1 inch
$12,000
Lumière Divine 1986 Divine Light
Jaroslav Bonkowski
Painting - 42 x 30 x 1 cm Painting - 16.5 x 11.8 x 0.4 inch
$846
La Fable et Le Mouton Loup
Sandra Detourbet
Painting - 46 x 33 x 2 cm Painting - 18.1 x 13 x 0.8 inch
$775
Forest Path Stemweder Hills
Gary Westall
Painting - 30 x 24.1 x 0.5 cm Painting - 11.8 x 9.5 x 0.2 inch
$632