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, Como lake, Olga Ponomarenko

Olga Ponomarenko

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

$1,611

Painting, Honfleur, Mike Hall

Mike Hall

Painting . 30 x 35 x 1 cm Painting . 11.8 x 13.8 x 0.4 inch

$1,131

Sculpture, Varvara, Alexander Sviyazov

Alexander Sviyazov

Sculpture . 35 x 15 x 10 cm Sculpture . 13.8 x 5.9 x 3.9 inch

$9,377

Painting, Florence, Olga Ponomarenko

Olga Ponomarenko

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

$1,611

Photography, Ciel 21, Feng Hatat

Feng Hatat

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

$703

Photography, House 5, Nicholas Winter

Nicholas Winter

Photography . 40 x 40 cm Photography . 15.7 x 15.7 inch

$1,149

Painting, Harlequin, Nigel Bailey

Nigel Bailey

Painting . 45.8 x 45.8 x 0.4 cm Painting . 18 x 18 x 0.2 inch

$1,641

Photography, Surprise Mthfcker, Rodrigo

Rodrigo

Photography . 44.5 x 29.6 x 0.1 cm Photography . 17.5 x 11.7 x 0 inch

$1,874

Photography, Solitude, Fabien Strauss

Fabien Strauss

Photography . 30 x 24 x 0.1 cm Photography . 11.8 x 9.4 x 0 inch

$297

Painting, Bank Street 2, Nigel Bailey

Nigel Bailey

Painting . 30.4 x 30.4 x 0.3 cm Painting . 12 x 12 x 0.1 inch

$1,055

Photography, #9, Julien Espiaut

#9

Julien Espiaut

Photography . 29.7 x 21 x 0.1 cm Photography . 11.7 x 8.3 x 0 inch

$223

Painting, Cracow, Janusz Szpyt

Janusz Szpyt

Painting . 36 x 18 cm Painting . 14.2 x 7.1 inch

$1,055 $949

Fine Art Drawings, Erbalonga, Matthieu Dorval

Matthieu Dorval

Fine Art Drawings . 29.5 x 41.5 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 11.6 x 16.3 x 0 inch

$1,289

Painting, Venise !, Noël Granger

Noël Granger

Painting . 21 x 29 x 0.1 cm Painting . 8.3 x 11.4 x 0 inch

$141

Photography, #4, Nicolas Fontas

#4

Nicolas Fontas

Photography . 20 x 30 x 0.1 cm Photography . 7.9 x 11.8 x 0 inch

$141

Painting, In the city, Anna Artemieva

Anna Artemieva

Painting . 40 x 30 x 2 cm Painting . 15.7 x 11.8 x 0.8 inch

$537

Painting, Train departure, Pappay

Pappay

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

$1,031