Architecture
Art and architecture share many similarities. They've influenced one another throughout history. However, trying to liken these two disciplines will inevitably lead to certain contractions.
Perhaps the biggest difference is that Art, in its broadest sense, is defined as a creation meant to trigger an emotional response which is generally related to aesthetic pleasure. It doesn't satisfy any of life's basic needs, but it leads to thoughts, reflections, and often taps into our subconscious and our memory. On the other hand, architecture's primary purpose is to shelter individuals and ensure their safety. Architecture is meant to serve a utilitarian purpose.
Today, architecture has gone far beyond this initial function. Architects have strived to combine engineering and aesthetic research to create buildings that are so out of the ordinary we wonder how they were designed. They want their creations to stand out and favour originality and creativity. Just like in arts, architecture is influenced by the historical, social, and political context of the time and each movement has its own characteristics, from baroque to futurism to Bauhaus. Modern architecture marked a turn in the history of architecture. Architects revolutionised the social scope of their discipline and took an industrialist approach to society and nature — avant-garde architects rubbed shoulders with artists such as Georges Braque, Piet Mondrian, and members of the De Stijl group. Le Corbusier is a pioneer in collective housing, and also took part in ambitious projects which aimed to rebuild entire cities, such as Chandigarh in India. Decorative arts also developed by taking inspiration from the conventions that governed modernist architecture.
Contemporary architecture might not be a specific movement per se, but buildings that fall into this category share certain attributes. Contemporary architecture is characterised by curvy lines and various volumes in a single structure, as seen with the Sydney Opera House. The architect Jørn Utzon explained that he didn't seek to create a building for this project, but an actual sculpture. The building continually renews itself with new meanings and experiences for each passerby. Architectural works often require periods of deep reflection and a long though process in order for the architect to envisage how to give their building a sense of character and soul.
Whether architecture is an art or not is a never ending debate, but it is undeniable that there are strong links between the two disciplines. There are many examples of collaborations between contemporary artists and architects, and today the works of the greatest architects are exhibited in museums along with their fellow artists.
Discover our selections of artworks inspired by art and architecture!
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La Grande Dame (Vue 7, vue du Champs de Mars)
Marie France Garrigues
Painting - 30 x 30 x 2 cm Painting - 11.8 x 11.8 x 0.8 inch
$405
Le Mont Saint-Michel
Raluca Vulcan
Painting - 89 x 116 x 2 cm Painting - 35 x 45.7 x 0.8 inch
$4,046
La maison bleue 2
Jean-Pierre Brissart
Painting - 60 x 80 x 3 cm Painting - 23.6 x 31.5 x 1.2 inch
$682
Blooming Bougainvillea in Old Cyprus village
July Kinart (Prykina)
Painting - 35 x 25 x 2 cm Painting - 13.8 x 9.8 x 0.8 inch
$578
Piazza venezia Roma
Maciej Zaborowski
Painting - 47 x 59 x 1 cm Painting - 18.5 x 23.2 x 0.4 inch
$2,312
Afternoon sun on ancient architecture
Quynh Elisa Hoang
Painting - 72.9 x 100.1 x 3 cm Painting - 28.7 x 39.4 x 1.2 inch
$2,300
1004 Windows
Javier Rey
Photography - 100 x 66.5 x 0.3 cm Photography - 39.4 x 26.2 x 0.1 inch
$1,550
The Red Bench
Michael K. Yamaoka
Photography - 91.4 x 61 x 0.1 cm Photography - 36 x 24 x 0.04 inch
$4,500
La Bibliothèque Rouge
ShuJie Wang
Painting - 70 x 50 x 2 cm Painting - 27.6 x 19.7 x 0.8 inch
$1,040
Chicago
Josep Maria Mejan
Fine Art Drawings - 14 x 10.7 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 5.5 x 4.2 x 0 inch
$751
La statue de la liberté
Bernard Buffet
Print - 76 x 57.5 x 0.1 cm Print - 29.9 x 22.6 x 0 inch
$5,412
N° 1244 Jéricho, Jéricho !
R. Cavalié
Painting - 50 x 50 x 2 cm Painting - 19.7 x 19.7 x 0.8 inch
$601
Snow-covered village
Alexander Shandor
Painting - 55 x 65 x 3 cm Painting - 21.7 x 25.6 x 1.2 inch
$2,000
N°1242 Bet She’an. Scythopolis 1.
R. Cavalié
Painting - 38 x 55 x 2 cm Painting - 15 x 21.7 x 0.8 inch
$624
N° 1234 Saint-Jean d'acre 1
R. Cavalié
Painting - 46 x 33 x 2 cm Painting - 18.1 x 13 x 0.8 inch
$578
N° 1232 Césarée, Cesarea
R. Cavalié
Painting - 46 x 55 x 2 cm Painting - 18.1 x 21.7 x 0.8 inch
$624
N° 1220 Talmont. Eglise Sainte Radegonde.
R. Cavalié
Painting - 50 x 65 x 2 cm Painting - 19.7 x 25.6 x 0.8 inch
$694
N° 1197. Entracte. Jardinière 3.
R. Cavalié
Painting - 46 x 61 x 2 cm Painting - 18.1 x 24 x 0.8 inch
$636
N° 1193 Rochefort. Au musée de...
R. Cavalié
Painting - 81 x 54 x 2 cm Painting - 31.9 x 21.3 x 0.8 inch
$925
N° 1190 Aix. La maison de rêve
R. Cavalié
Painting - 38 x 55 x 2 cm Painting - 15 x 21.7 x 0.8 inch
$578
N° 1117 Belgrade 14. Eglise orthodoxe de Saint-Sava A
R. Cavalié
Painting - 54 x 65 x 2 cm Painting - 21.3 x 25.6 x 0.8 inch
$578
N° 1105 Belgrade 2. Kafeterija Magazin. A
R. Cavalié
Painting - 73 x 60 x 2 cm Painting - 28.7 x 23.6 x 0.8 inch
$670
N° 1181 Ile d'Aix. Eglise abbatiale. Place de Verdun.
R. Cavalié
Painting - 46 x 61 x 2 cm Painting - 18.1 x 24 x 0.8 inch
$624
N° 1096 Prague 1. Place de la Vieille Ville (est).
R. Cavalié
Painting - 65 x 54 x 2 cm Painting - 25.6 x 21.3 x 0.8 inch
$578
N° 1044 The Argyll Arms 7
R. Cavalié
Painting - 50 x 65 x 2 cm Painting - 19.7 x 25.6 x 0.8 inch
$578
Zatysyanskyy Museum of Regional Studies
Alexander Shandor
Painting - 55 x 60 x 2 cm Painting - 21.7 x 23.6 x 0.8 inch
$1,400
Aesthetic Beauty
Anand Manchiraju
Painting - 76.2 x 101.6 x 0.3 cm Painting - 30 x 40 x 0.1 inch
$6,000
N° 1088 Dresde 2. Noir, blanche et travaux.
R. Cavalié
Painting - 46 x 55 x 2 cm Painting - 18.1 x 21.7 x 0.8 inch
$578
N° 1091 Dresde 5. Carpe diem.
R. Cavalié
Painting - 65 x 54 x 2 cm Painting - 25.6 x 21.3 x 0.8 inch
$578
N° 1078 Vienne. Improvisation sur St Charles Borromée.
R. Cavalié
Painting - 65 x 54 x 2 cm Painting - 25.6 x 21.3 x 0.8 inch
$578
N° 110 Baalbek. L'emmuré.
R. Cavalié
Painting - 65 x 50 x 2 cm Painting - 25.6 x 19.7 x 0.8 inch
$578
N° 833 Chessine 1. Le Sarto
R. Cavalié
Painting - 50 x 73 x 2 cm Painting - 19.7 x 28.7 x 0.8 inch
$694
N° 493 De l'esplanade de la Maison de Boigne.
R. Cavalié
Painting - 54 x 73 x 2 cm Painting - 21.3 x 28.7 x 0.8 inch
$694
Street edge
Alexander Shandor
Painting - 60 x 70 x 2 cm Painting - 23.6 x 27.6 x 0.8 inch
$2,400 $1,200
Paris Tour Eiffel
Bruno Fournier
Photography - 24 x 18 x 1 cm Photography - 9.4 x 7.1 x 0.4 inch
$925
Paris tour tour Eiffel 1
Bruno Fournier
Photography - 24 x 18 x 1 cm Photography - 9.4 x 7.1 x 0.4 inch
$925
Plénitude II
Djamel Djebbour
Photography - 80 x 120 x 3 cm Photography - 31.5 x 47.2 x 1.2 inch
$6,935
Verdana - collection spéciale Grands Formats
Christophe Malsert
Print - 180 x 135 x 1 cm Print - 70.9 x 53.1 x 0.4 inch
$2,427
Solaria - collection spéciale Grands Formats
Christophe Malsert
Print - 150 x 150 x 1 cm Print - 59.1 x 59.1 x 0.4 inch
$2,081
Pyra - collection spéciale Grands Formats
Christophe Malsert
Print - 150 x 150 x 1 cm Print - 59.1 x 59.1 x 0.4 inch
$2,081
California house - collection spéciale Grands Formats
Christophe Malsert
Print - 150 x 150 x 1 cm Print - 59.1 x 59.1 x 0.4 inch
$2,081
Terrasse italienne
Laurelle Bessé
Painting - 50 x 73 x 2.5 cm Painting - 19.7 x 28.7 x 1 inch
$1,734
Courtyard in Greece
Evgeny Chernyakovsky
Painting - 90 x 70 x 2 cm Painting - 35.4 x 27.6 x 0.8 inch
$1,600 $1,120
