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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Fine Art Drawings, Lune pleine, Elsa Ohana

Elsa Ohana

Fine Art Drawings . 50 x 36 x 0.2 cm Fine Art Drawings . 19.7 x 14.2 x 0.1 inch

€550

Sculpture, Serge, Sophie Inard

Sophie Inard

Sculpture . 23 x 33 x 27 cm Sculpture . 9.1 x 13 x 10.6 inch

€2,760

Painting, Sum of Parts, Naomi Friedman

Naomi Friedman

Painting . 40.6 x 30.5 x 3 cm Painting . 16 x 12 x 1.2 inch

€800

Fine Art Drawings, Timeless 3, Laura Spring

Laura Spring

Fine Art Drawings . 35.6 x 25.4 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings . 14 x 10 x 0.1 inch

€135

Painting, Drisme-4, Aero 82

Aero 82

Painting . 20 x 40 x 2 cm Painting . 7.9 x 15.7 x 0.8 inch

€171

Painting, Cold Feet, Zakhar Shevchuk

Zakhar Shevchuk

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

€1,200

Sculpture, Oxys V, Yannick Bouillault

Yannick Bouillault

Sculpture . 26 x 6.5 x 5 cm Sculpture . 10.2 x 2.6 x 2 inch

€430

Painting, Medicine, Miiickey Madu

Miiickey Madu

Painting . 42 x 30 x 0.1 cm Painting . 16.5 x 11.8 x 0 inch

€4,000

Painting, Le Carré Jaune, Wait

Wait

Painting . 50 x 50 x 4 cm Painting . 19.7 x 19.7 x 1.6 inch

€950 €855

Painting, Untitled, Fatima El Hajj

Fatima El Hajj

Painting . 40 x 40 x 4 cm Painting . 15.7 x 15.7 x 1.6 inch

€5,000

Painting, Things, Cristina Bento

Cristina Bento

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

€4,600

Print, Romance, Mino Maccari

Mino Maccari

Print . 44.5 x 32.5 x 0.1 cm Print . 17.5 x 12.8 x 0 inch

€540

Print, Air Max Night EA, Ske

Ske

Print . 40 x 40 x 0.1 cm Print . 15.7 x 15.7 x 0 inch

€140

Print, Air Legend Night EA, Ske

Ske

Print . 40 x 40 x 0.1 cm Print . 15.7 x 15.7 x 0 inch

€140

Sculpture, XTiger, Guoyi Liu

Guoyi Liu

Sculpture . 40 x 15 x 12 cm Sculpture . 15.7 x 5.9 x 4.7 inch

€950

Painting, The box, Ihar Sviancicki

Ihar Sviancicki

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

€2,600

Fine Art Drawings, La diva aux fleurs, Volt

Volt

Fine Art Drawings . 30 x 21 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 11.8 x 8.3 x 0.4 inch

€140

Sculpture, Give your love fluo, Zed

Zed

Sculpture . 50 x 14 x 18 cm Sculpture . 19.7 x 5.5 x 7.1 inch

€170

Painting, Reflection. 2, Greta Olivas

Greta Olivas

Painting . 31 x 31 x 3 cm Painting . 12.2 x 12.2 x 1.2 inch

€1,500

Painting, Arianna, Alexander Daniloff

Alexander Daniloff

Painting . 40 x 8.5 x 0.5 cm Painting . 15.7 x 3.3 x 0.2 inch

€235

Painting, Sulking, Sergio Capitani

Sergio Capitani

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

€680

Photography, Mantras, Leobardo Huerta

Leobardo Huerta

Photography . 35.6 x 27.9 x 0.3 cm Photography . 14 x 11 x 0.1 inch

€1,076

Painting, Otoño, Svetlana Zhirnova

Svetlana Zhirnova

Painting . 50 x 40 x 2.5 cm Painting . 19.7 x 15.7 x 1 inch

€1,800

Painting, Botanical, Ketevan Kacharava

Ketevan Kacharava

Painting . 25 x 30 x 3 cm Painting . 9.8 x 11.8 x 1.2 inch

€800

Print, C215, Pablo Picasso, C215

C215

Print . 50 x 40 x 0.1 cm Print . 19.7 x 15.7 x 0 inch

€400

Painting, Valentine, Hugues Candaës

Hugues Candaës

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

€1,260

Painting, L'arbre rouge, Autonne

Autonne

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

€800

Painting, Plaque métro Simpson, Fat

Fat

Painting . 37 x 29 x 2 cm Painting . 14.6 x 11.4 x 0.8 inch

€900

Sculpture, Invictus, Hyacinthe Ouattara

Hyacinthe Ouattara

Sculpture . 50 x 40 x 30 cm Sculpture . 19.7 x 15.7 x 11.8 inch

€2,500

Print, Homer Night EA, Ske

Ske

Print . 40 x 40 x 0.1 cm Print . 15.7 x 15.7 x 0 inch

€140

Print, Untitled, Joan Cots

Joan Cots

Print . 49.5 x 38 cm Print . 19.5 x 15 inch

€222

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