The small format, the unassuming giant saving galleries

01When art history is written in miniature

The enthusiasm for small formats did not begin with the 2023 economic crisis. It has roots stretching back centuries, where the size of a work was often dictated by material or symbolic constraints. In the Middle Ages, manuscript illuminations like Les Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry (1410–1416) were designed to be held in the hand, offering a rare intimacy in a world where art was primarily destined for churches. These miniatures, painted in gouache on parchment, sometimes cost more than large-scale paintings due to their technical complexity.

The Renaissance saw the emergence of another type of small format: the miniature portrait, popularized by artists like Hans Holbein the Younger at the court of Henry VIII. These works, often painted on ivory or vellum, served as diplomatic gifts or tokens of affection. Their reduced size (sometimes less than 5 cm in diameter) made them precious, portable, and intimate objects. In the seventeenth century, Dutch kabinetstukken—small genre scenes painted by Vermeer or Pieter de Hooch—marked the rise of an art market accessible to the burgeoning bourgeoisie. For the first time, non-aristocratic collectors could acquire original works, provided they fit on a modest wall.

The twentieth century pushed this logic to its extreme. Marcel Duchamp, with his Boîte-en-valise (1935–1941), reduced his oeuvre to a suitcase containing 69 miniature reproductions of his creations. This "portable museum" foreshadowed contemporary art, where scale becomes a conceptual playground. Later, Damien Hirst’s Spot Paintings (1986–2011)—canvases of varying but often modest sizes, covered in colored dots—were designed as "investable" works for a new generation of collectors. Their standardized format allowed for serial production, reducing costs while maintaining high market value.

02The small format as a response to market crises

The Covid-19 pandemic accelerated a trend already observable since the 2008 financial crisis. According to the 2021 Art Basel and UBS report, 33% of galleries surveyed reduced their staff during the pandemic, and 42% reported that small formats had become their primary source of revenue. In 2022, the sector for works under $5,000 grew by 18%, compared to just 5% for pieces exceeding $50,000 (source: Hiscox Online Art Trade Report).

This shift can be explained by several economic factors: Reduced logistical costs: A 30x30 cm canvas weighs less than a kilogram and fits in a standard package, whereas a large work can weigh dozens of kilos and require specialized transport., Optimized storage: Galleries can store hundreds of small formats in a limited space, whereas a single large canvas occupies several square meters., Accessible entry price: A beginning collector can acquire an original work by an emerging artist for a few hundred euros, compared to several thousand for a medium-sized piece. et Increased liquidity: Small formats resell more easily on the secondary market, as evidenced by the rise of platforms like specialist online platforms or market data platforms, where 60% of transactions involve works under $10,000.

The Marian Goodman Gallery, known for representing renowned artists like Gerhard Richter or Tacita Dean, recently launched a collection of small-format prints and drawings, priced between 2,000 and 15,000 euros. "We were looking for a way to make our program more accessible without diluting our high-end positioning," explains the gallery’s Paris director. "Small formats allow us to reach a broader clientele while maintaining the artistic rigor that defines us."

03Artists facing the challenge of miniaturization

For artists, working in small formats presents both an opportunity and a technical challenge. Some, like American artist Julie Mehretu, use these reduced dimensions to explore details that would be lost in a larger work. Her pencil drawings, often the size of an A4 sheet, reveal a density of lines and symbols that invite close observation. "The small format forces the viewer to lean in, to enter the work," she explains. "It’s an almost physical experience, like looking through a microscope."

Other artists see miniaturization as a fertile constraint. Spanish artist Miquel Barceló, known for his monumental canvases, created a series of small paper paintings in 2020 during lockdown. "I no longer had access to my studio, so I worked on formats I could hold in one hand," he recounts. "This limitation pushed me to simplify my gesture, to get to the essence." These works, sold for between 8,000 and 20,000 euros, met with unexpected success, proving that rarity and intimacy can compensate for the lack of monumentality.

The small format also allows emerging artists to gain recognition without taking excessive financial risks. The Parisian gallery Air de Paris launched a program in 2022 titled "Small Formats, Big Talents," showcasing artists like Franco-Moroccan Sara Ouhaddou and Senegalese Cheikh Ndiaye. Their works, priced between 1,500 and 6,000 euros, offer an entry point into the contemporary art market. "For a young artist, producing a large canvas can cost thousands of euros in materials and time," explains the gallerist. "With a small format, the risk is lower, and the sale faster."

04Technique in service of intimacy

Creating a small-format work is not simply about reducing the size of a composition. It requires adapting techniques, tools, and even gesture. Sixteenth-century miniaturists used sable-hair brushes capable of tracing lines of extreme finesse. Today, contemporary artists employ equally precise instruments: ultra-fine Chinese ink pens, mechanical pencils, or even surgical tools for the most minute details.

Texture is crucial. A 50x50 cm canvas allows for thick impasto, like in Van Gogh’s work, but a smaller format demands a different mastery. Artists often opt for smooth surfaces (paper, aluminum, plexiglass) that highlight details. Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama, for example, uses 30x30 cm canvases for her Infinity Nets, where each painted loop is executed with millimetric precision. "On a small format, the slightest imperfection becomes visible," explains a restorer at the Centre Pompidou. "That’s why these works are often more technically accomplished than monumental canvases."

Color also plays a special role. Small formats often favor saturated palettes or stark contrasts to capture attention. German painter Neo Rauch, known for his surrealist canvases, uses vivid colors in his smaller works to compensate for the lack of monumentality. Conversely, some artists embrace monochrome, like American Robert Ryman, whose small white canvases explore the nuances of light on minimalist surfaces.

05The small format in contemporary space

How do you display a 20x20 cm work in a gallery where the walls are 5 meters high? This question has led institutions and collectors to rethink presentation methods. In 2021, the Palais de Tokyo in Paris devoted an exhibition titled "Micro" to small-format works, displayed in vitrines or hung in tight clusters. "We wanted to create an immersive experience, where the viewer has to lean in, get closer, almost enter into dialogue with the work," explains the exhibition curator.

Galleries employ similar strategies. At Almine Rech in Brussels, small formats are often grouped in series, creating a visual rhythm. "A wall covered with 20 small drawings can have more impact than a single large canvas," notes the gallerist. "It also allows us to show an artist’s diversity, their evolution over a given period."

For collectors, the small format offers unprecedented flexibility. It’s possible to create a "personal gallery" in an apartment, regularly changing the displayed works. The Cartier Foundation in Paris even launched a program in 2023 to lend small-format works to its donors, allowing them to renew their collections without massive investments. "It’s a way to democratize access to contemporary art," explains the foundation’s director. "And for artists, it means increased visibility."

06The limits of the phenomenon

While the small format has its appeal, it is not without risks. Some critics see it as a form of "commodification" of art, where market value takes precedence over artistic value. The NFT market, which exploded in 2021, illustrated this drift: small-format (or even non-physical) digital works sold for millions before collapsing in value. "The small format can become just another product, disconnected from any aesthetic reflection," warns an art historian.

Another pitfall is market saturation. With the rise of online platforms like specialist online platforms or international art marketplaces, small formats are multiplying, sometimes at the expense of quality. "Anyone can produce a 30x30 cm canvas, but that doesn’t make everyone an artist," notes a Parisian gallerist. "The risk is that the small format becomes a mere gimmick, a passing trend."

Finally, some works lose their power when reduced. A mural by JR or an installation by Christo cannot be miniaturized without losing their essence. "Scale is an integral part of the work," reminds a MoMA curator. "Some artists need space to express their vision."

07Toward a post-monumental art?

Despite these reservations, the small format seems firmly established in the artistic landscape. It responds to economic, ecological, and social challenges. In a world where space is a rare commodity and resources are becoming scarcer, miniaturization appears as a sustainable solution. Artists are exploring new materials, like recycling old canvases or using natural pigments, to reduce their carbon footprint.

The small format also changes our relationship with art. It invites a more intimate, personal experience. Where a monumental canvas imposes its presence, a small work must be discovered, almost earned. It creates a different connection with the viewer—closer, more secretive. As art critic John Berger wrote: "To look is already a way of possessing." With the small format, this possession becomes accessible, tangible, almost domestic.

Galleries have taken note. In 2024, Art Basel launched a new sector dedicated to works under $10,000, and FIAC created a "Small Formats" space to highlight emerging artists. Even institutions are getting on board: the Centre Pompidou acquired a series of small-format drawings by Algerian artist Kader Attia in 2023, while MoMA expanded its collection of medieval miniatures.

The small format is not just a trend but a quiet revolution. It is redefining what it means to collect, exhibit, and even create art. In a world where everything seems to be growing—screens, cities, ambitions—it offers a modest but powerful alternative. As American artist Sol LeWitt once said: "The idea becomes the machine that makes the art." And sometimes, that machine fits in the palm of your hand.