Multiple images in a single table entry

Question

I'm trying to produce a single row of images in a beamer slide. On the left a single larger image and on the right, 4 smaller images in a 2x2 table. Here is what I've tried

\begin{tabular}{c @{\hspace{2em}} c}
 \includegraphics[width=.4\linewidth]{largeImage} &

 \begin{tabular}{c @{\hspace{.5em}} c}
  \includegraphics[width=.2\linewidth]{smallImage1} & 
  \includegraphics[width=.2\linewidth]{smallImage2} \\
  \includegraphics[width=.2\linewidth]{smallImage3} &
  \includegraphics[width=.2\linewidth]{smallImage4}
 \end{tabular} 
\end{tabular}

This is good enough to compile with no issues but the 2x2 set of images are shifted down to the bottom of the slide and is not aligned with the larger image. What can I do about this?

Answer 1

Maybe simply use beamer columns environment instead of a table?

\documentclass{beamer}

\begin{document}
\begin{frame}
    \begin{columns}[T]
        \begin{column}{.4\textwidth}
            \includegraphics[width=\textwidth]{example-image}
        \end{column}
        \begin{column}{.4\textwidth}
            \includegraphics[width=.48\textwidth]{example-image}%
            \includegraphics[width=.48\textwidth]{example-image}

            \includegraphics[width=.48\textwidth]{example-image}%
            \includegraphics[width=.48\textwidth]{example-image}
        \end{column}        
    \end{columns}
\end{frame}
\end{document}

Answer 2

Two side-by-side tabulars instead of two nested tabulars will do what you want.

\documentclass{beamer}
\usepackage{lmodern}
\begin{document}

\begin{frame}    
  \begin{tabular}{c}
    \includegraphics[width=.42\linewidth]{example-image} 
  \end{tabular}    
  \begin{tabular}{c @{\hspace{.5em}} c}
    \includegraphics[width=.2\linewidth]{example-image} & 
    \includegraphics[width=.2\linewidth]{example-image} \\
    \includegraphics[width=.2\linewidth]{example-image} &
    \includegraphics[width=.2\linewidth]{example-image}
  \end{tabular}        
\end{frame}

\end{document}