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, City, Mr.Tris

Mr.Tris

Print . 24 x 36 x 0.2 cm Print . 9.4 x 14.2 x 0.1 inch

$140

Sculpture, Visa-vie, Fanjol

Fanjol

Sculpture . 28 x 14 x 14 cm Sculpture . 11 x 5.5 x 5.5 inch

$6,426

Painting, Downtown, Darren Thompson

Darren Thompson

Painting . 30.5 x 40.6 x 5.1 cm Painting . 12 x 16 x 2 inch

$1,552

Painting, Graceland, Nigel Bailey

Nigel Bailey

Painting . 40.3 x 40.3 x 0.4 cm Painting . 15.9 x 15.9 x 0.2 inch

$1,198

Painting, Imbrications, Sophie Hors

Sophie Hors

Painting . 47 x 37 x 3 cm Painting . 18.5 x 14.6 x 1.2 inch

$946

Photography, Austin Road, Nathaniel Foster

Nathaniel Foster

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

$2,570

Painting, Oxford, Simon Kozhin

Simon Kozhin

Painting . 24 x 30 x 0.3 cm Painting . 9.4 x 11.8 x 0.1 inch

$3,271

Sculpture, Unis vers, Fanjol

Fanjol

Sculpture . 43 x 18 x 18 cm Sculpture . 16.9 x 7.1 x 7.1 inch

$7,594

Fine Art Drawings, Dark City, Simon Goldberg

Simon Goldberg

Fine Art Drawings . 27 x 21 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings . 10.6 x 8.3 x 0.1 inch

$409

Photography, 135 Méga-Jul #7, Samzaï

Samzaï

Photography . 30 x 45 x 0.5 cm Photography . 11.8 x 17.7 x 0.2 inch

$193

Photography, Averse, Tanguy Mendrisse

Tanguy Mendrisse

Photography . 40 x 30 x 0.1 cm Photography . 15.7 x 11.8 x 0 inch

$187

Photography, Brooklyn Bridge, Rodrigo

Rodrigo

Photography . 35.6 x 23.7 x 0.1 cm Photography . 14 x 9.3 x 0 inch

$1,868

Painting, Split Shadow, David Walker

David Walker

Painting . 35 x 30 x 0.2 cm Painting . 13.8 x 11.8 x 0.1 inch

$1,277

Painting, Freedom, Helen Spoon

Helen Spoon

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

$1,927

Painting, Pont Wilson, Paul Ward

Paul Ward

Painting . 40.6 x 30 x 5.1 cm Painting . 16 x 11.8 x 2 inch

$2,279

Fine Art Drawings, Daily Life, Kate Wilczynski

Kate Wilczynski

Fine Art Drawings . 40 x 50 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 15.7 x 19.7 x 0 inch

$701

Painting, La Dolce, Richard Poumelin

Richard Poumelin

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

$1,344

Painting, La vie en couleurs, KLO

KLO

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

$140

Painting, On the bridge, Galya Popova

Galya Popova

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

$1,869

Painting, Biot, Alfred Ziethlow

Alfred Ziethlow

Painting . 36 x 48 x 0.2 cm Painting . 14.2 x 18.9 x 0.1 inch

$3,388

Painting, Naples, Alexandre Garbell

Alexandre Garbell

Painting . 42 x 22 x 0.5 cm Painting . 16.5 x 8.7 x 0.2 inch

$2,220

Painting, February, Oleg Litvinov

Oleg Litvinov

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

$701

Painting, Frenchwoman, Vahe Bagumyan

Vahe Bagumyan

Painting . 30 x 20 x 2 cm Painting . 11.8 x 7.9 x 0.8 inch

$216