Large format works

Large format artworks have existed for centuries and were traditionally completed in the form of statues or frescoes. The 1x1 metre format originally applied to painting, however works in the 17th century systematically exceeded these dimensions. This can be seen in the Rubens' and Velasquez's canvases, where they paint life-size figures. It's evident that in recent years large format artworks have taken on a whole new meaning, where works are becoming monumental and even colossal in size. Installations and sculptures are now measuring tens of metres high, practically becoming architectural structures, which can be seen in works like Anish Kapoor's Cloud Gate.


Fortunately not all large format artworks are the size of an elephant, but they do allow a huge decorative and artistic advantage. Not only is it an easy way to finish off a room or furnish a space, but it's also an excellent solution for completely restyling your home. If it's truly love at first sight, the piece will totally transform your space into a reflection of your personality. When it comes to photography, the impact of a large format print is multiplied, and gives your room an exhibition-like quality.

XXL artworks allow the artist more imaginative freedom since the surface of the canvas is larger. However, the creation of a large format artwork requires a precise technique and a mastering of the medium used. More and more contemporary artists are working with large formats, and the sensitivity in creating such a work is not the same when working with a 30x30cm canvas. Additionally, an increasing number of exhibitions are specialising in large format artworks. Monumenta at the Grand Palais is an event that occurs every two years, where an artist is invited to create a work specially for the enormous space offered by the Nave.


Photographypainting or sculpture, drawing; these artists and their enormous formats will forever influence the history of contemporary art. This preference for large scale artwork can be seen in a long list of artists including, the canadian photographer Jeff Wall, Anglo-Indian sculptor Anish Kapoor and Sino-French painter Yan Pei Ming.  These three artists have certainly left a huge mark on the contemporary art market.  

If you're looking for a statement artwork you're in the right place! Here's our selection of large scale paintings. You'll only need one painting to fill that blank wall that has been empty for far too long. With our selection, you won't struggle with finding the perfect artwork - we have abstract paintings, figurative paintings, modern paintings, triptychs and a wide variety of styles!

Large scale paintings have been around for centuries. In general, artists prefer using oil painting for this format because its drying time enables them to go back and rework parts of the painting as it nears completion. They also prefer painting on canvas because it's easier to transport than other supports such as wooden panels.

During the Renaissance, a number of artists painted impressive scenes, often drawn from religion or mythology, on canvases that were several meters wide. The Wedding at Cana, a work by Veronese which you can see in the Louvre, is more than 6m x 9m! In 18th century Europe, large paintings were generally reserved for history paintings. The size of the painting helped the artist (and often the patron who had commission it) make an impact and truly impress the viewer, a bigger canvas meant the subject matter was represented with dignity and gradeure.  A perfect example is The Coronation of Napoleon by Jacques-Louis David, a huge canvas full of splendid of colours and details that the viewer almost feels overwhelmed by its splendor.


Towards the end of the 19th century artists turned to other genres. Edouard Manet used large scale canvases to paint his realistic scenes of the lower classes and Claude Monet painted expansive landscapes, for example this beautiful water lilies series which now hangs in the Museum of l'Orangerie. Later, other artists like Pablo Picasso, tackled the subject of politics in enormous modern paintings such as Guernica.

Abstract painting didn't put an end to large scale paintings, on the contrary abstract artists loved them! They had a larger surface to experiment with and the big canvases meant that the viewer could fully immerse themselves in the painter's work. The painters of the abstract expressionist movement such as Mark Rothko, Jackson Pollock and Barnett Newman preferred using large canvases to create their abstract paintings.

Even today artists continue to choose to large scale canvas to create contemporary paintings. Gerhard Richter uses them for both his abstract paintings and figurative paintings, and Jenny Saville paints larger-than-life human bodies.

Discover our selection of large scale paintings that will give make any room seem like a statement.

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Painting, Discogolf, Ralph Resch

Discogolf

Ralph Resch

Painting - 116 x 89 x 2 cm Painting - 45.7 x 35 x 0.8 inch

$1,184

Painting, MB 82, Méryl B

MB 82

Méryl B

Painting - 130 x 97 x 3 cm Painting - 51.2 x 38.2 x 1.2 inch

$1,071

Painting, Childhood, Gina Vor

Childhood

Gina Vor

Painting - 160 x 120 x 3 cm Painting - 63 x 47.2 x 1.2 inch

$4,284

Fine Art Drawings, Greytitude, Sumit Mehndiratta

Greytitude

Sumit Mehndiratta

Fine Art Drawings - 65 x 127 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 25.6 x 50 x 0 inch

$1,691

Painting, Paris, Troy Henriksen

Paris

Troy Henriksen

Painting - 130 x 89 x 2 cm Painting - 51.2 x 35 x 0.8 inch

$5,074

Painting, Blue Sun, Shelby

Blue Sun

Shelby

Painting - 130 x 130 x 0.5 cm Painting - 51.2 x 51.2 x 0.2 inch

$4,735

Painting, The gun, Erró

The gun

Erró

Painting - 162 x 97 cm Painting - 63.8 x 38.2 inch

$84,560

Painting, Lynx, Onemizer

Lynx

Onemizer

Painting - 173 x 200 x 10 cm Painting - 68.1 x 78.7 x 3.9 inch

$56,373

Painting, My wild music 1, Isafara

My wild music 1

Isafara

Painting - 140 x 180 x 0.3 cm Painting - 55.1 x 70.9 x 0.1 inch

$902

Painting, Skolptura_024, Nico Skolp

Skolptura_024

Nico Skolp

Painting - 120 x 80 x 3 cm Painting - 47.2 x 31.5 x 1.2 inch

$2,255

Painting, 1998/235, Claude Viallat

1998/235

Claude Viallat

Painting - 150 x 109 x 0.2 cm Painting - 59.1 x 42.9 x 0.1 inch

$27,059

Painting, Vola via, Davide Angelillo

Vola via

Davide Angelillo

Painting - 100 x 120 x 1.5 cm Painting - 39.4 x 47.2 x 0.6 inch

$598

Painting, Kiss The Sky, L'Atlas

Kiss The Sky

L'Atlas

Painting - 120 x 120 x 2 cm Painting - 47.2 x 47.2 x 0.8 inch

$14,319

Painting, À peine couché, Jéko

À peine couché

Jéko

Painting - 140 x 107 x 0.5 cm Painting - 55.1 x 42.1 x 0.2 inch

$3,608

Print, DeLorean, Ryca

DeLorean

Ryca

Print - 85 x 119 x 0.1 cm Print - 33.5 x 46.9 x 0 inch

$789

Painting, Lux, Cécile Labonne

Lux

Cécile Labonne

Painting - 80 x 120 x 2 cm Painting - 31.5 x 47.2 x 0.8 inch

$902

Print, Elizabeth, Alex Katz

Elizabeth

Alex Katz

Print - 76.2 x 152.4 cm Print - 30 x 60 inch

$18,039

Painting, West Lake, James Chiew

West Lake

James Chiew

Painting - 180 x 90 x 6 cm Painting - 70.9 x 35.4 x 2.4 inch

$15,784

Painting, Dogeye, Jug

Dogeye

Jug

Painting - 80 x 120 x 4 cm Painting - 31.5 x 47.2 x 1.6 inch

$1,015

Painting, Bay, Brian Bartlett

Bay

Brian Bartlett

Painting - 122 x 152 x 4 cm Painting - 48 x 59.8 x 1.6 inch

$2,625

Painting, The Fast Luxury Love, Jisbar

The Fast Luxury Love

Jisbar

Painting - 114 x 146 x 2 cm Painting - 44.9 x 57.5 x 0.8 inch

Price upon request

Painting, Paysages de Chine 33, Xiu

Paysages de Chine 33

Xiu

Painting - 120 x 40 x 1 cm Painting - 47.2 x 15.7 x 0.4 inch

$1,578

Painting, Mars, JonOne

Mars

JonOne

Painting - 122 x 120 x 2 cm Painting - 48 x 47.2 x 0.8 inch

$30,441

Painting, Tonus, Sandrine Hartmann

Tonus

Sandrine Hartmann

Painting - 60 x 120 x 4 cm Painting - 23.6 x 47.2 x 1.6 inch

$879

Painting, Flinstones, Art By Son

Flinstones

Art By Son

Painting - 120 x 120 x 5 cm Painting - 47.2 x 47.2 x 2 inch

$10,711

Fine Art Drawings, Untitled, JonOne

Untitled

JonOne

Fine Art Drawings - 140.5 x 90.5 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 55.3 x 35.6 x 0.4 inch

$13,530

Painting, Air, Jean Marie Drouet

Air

Jean Marie Drouet

Painting - 80 x 120 x 5 cm Painting - 31.5 x 47.2 x 2 inch

$5,976

Painting, Twist 1, Benjamin Laading

Twist 1

Benjamin Laading

Painting - 120 x 120 x 2.5 cm Painting - 47.2 x 47.2 x 1 inch

$2,593

Painting, Operenccia, Victor Vasarely

Operenccia

Victor Vasarely

Painting - 101.6 x 167.6 x 2.5 cm Painting - 40 x 66 x 1 inch

$450,000

Painting, Noumène #3, Parole

Noumène #3

Parole

Painting - 137 x 105 x 2.5 cm Painting - 53.9 x 41.3 x 1 inch

$4,510

Painting, Ton feu, Cécile Desserle

Ton feu

Cécile Desserle

Painting - 116 x 89 x 3 cm Painting - 45.7 x 35 x 1.2 inch

$4,284

Photography, Elan, Yevgeniy Repiashenko

Elan

Yevgeniy Repiashenko

Photography - 120 x 120 x 0.1 cm Photography - 47.2 x 47.2 x 0 inch

$2,954

Painting, Addo, Seaty

Addo

Seaty

Painting - 130 x 105 cm Painting - 51.2 x 41.3 inch

$14,319

Painting, Abstract circle, Ghost Art

Abstract circle

Ghost Art

Painting - 150 x 150 x 3 cm Painting - 59.1 x 59.1 x 1.2 inch

$8,456

Painting, Blue Night, Chufy

Blue Night

Chufy

Painting - 130 x 97 x 4 cm Painting - 51.2 x 38.2 x 1.6 inch

$4,059

Painting, Escape, Ludovic Mercher

Escape

Ludovic Mercher

Painting - 81 x 130 x 2 cm Painting - 31.9 x 51.2 x 0.8 inch

$1,353

Painting, Voyage, Stefan Fierros

Voyage

Stefan Fierros

Painting - 61 x 115.6 x 2 cm Painting - 24 x 45.5 x 0.8 inch

$662

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