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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Photography, Enuma Elish 18, Alex Colard

Alex Colard

Photography . 140 x 260 x 3 cm Photography . 55.1 x 102.4 x 1.2 inch

€12,636

Painting, Dream Builder, Jia Yuan Hua

Jia Yuan Hua

Painting . 60 x 50 x 4 cm Painting . 23.6 x 19.7 x 1.6 inch

€2,100

Painting, Paris + vert., ARySQUE

ARySQUE

Painting . 20 x 20 x 1 cm Painting . 7.9 x 7.9 x 0.4 inch

€300

Painting, The home, Lea Karvala

Lea Karvala

Painting . 60 x 30 x 3 cm Painting . 23.6 x 11.8 x 1.2 inch

€850

Painting, Marble Arch, Marco Araldi

Marco Araldi

Painting . 36 x 36 x 3 cm Painting . 14.2 x 14.2 x 1.2 inch

€698

Painting, Time Travel, Jia Yuan Hua

Jia Yuan Hua

Painting . 79 x 108 x 4 cm Painting . 31.1 x 42.5 x 1.6 inch

€3,200

Painting, Autumn Landscape, Kosta Morr

Kosta Morr

Painting . 42 x 30 x 0.2 cm Painting . 16.5 x 11.8 x 0.1 inch

€250

Painting, Zauberschloss, Osse Müller

Osse Müller

Painting . 110 x 85 x 0.3 cm Painting . 43.3 x 33.5 x 0.1 inch

€3,250

Painting, Pégase, Bernard Vié

Bernard Vié

Painting . 120 x 120 x 3 cm Painting . 47.2 x 47.2 x 1.2 inch

€3,000

Painting, Notre Dame de Paris, PyB

PyB

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

€200

Painting, Horizon, Nino Nasidze

Nino Nasidze

Painting . 90 x 80 x 2 cm Painting . 35.4 x 31.5 x 0.8 inch

€2,700

Painting, Saint-Lazare, Samiran Boruah

Samiran Boruah

Painting . 100 x 100 x 2.5 cm Painting . 39.4 x 39.4 x 1 inch

€1,500

Painting, Alpine motif, Nadezda Stupina

Nadezda Stupina

Painting . 60 x 80 x 2 cm Painting . 23.6 x 31.5 x 0.8 inch

€1,080

Painting, Nyhavn 17, Nadezda Stupina

Nadezda Stupina

Painting . 60 x 80 x 2 cm Painting . 23.6 x 31.5 x 0.8 inch

€1,700

Painting, City B, Fred Boutet

Fred Boutet

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

€1,200

Painting, Manderley, Friedhard Meyer

Friedhard Meyer

Painting . 119 x 147.5 x 2 cm Painting . 46.9 x 58.1 x 0.8 inch

€5,250

Painting, Les cabines de plage, Azziel

Azziel

Painting . 25 x 25 x 4 cm Painting . 9.8 x 9.8 x 1.6 inch

€140

Painting, Thira Sunrise, Elena Borstein

Elena Borstein

Painting . 152.4 x 101.6 x 4.1 cm Painting . 60 x 40 x 1.6 inch

€22,200

Painting, Aurora, Loi Duc

Loi Duc

Painting . 80 x 200 x 1 cm Painting . 31.5 x 78.7 x 0.4 inch

€8,750

Painting, Warsaw 3, Joanna Woyda

Joanna Woyda

Painting . 22 x 49 cm Painting . 8.7 x 19.3 inch

€350

Painting, Anzac Nightfall, Nigel Bailey

Nigel Bailey

Painting . 35.5 x 45.8 x 0.5 cm Painting . 14 x 18 x 0.2 inch

€700

Painting, Hôtel de la Tour, Kuteroff

Kuteroff

Painting . 80 x 100 x 4 cm Painting . 31.5 x 39.4 x 1.6 inch

€5,000

Painting, Piazza, Bernard Vié

Bernard Vié

Painting . 120 x 120 x 3 cm Painting . 47.2 x 47.2 x 1.2 inch

€3,000

Painting, Hemostasis, Dyala Khodary

Dyala Khodary

Painting . 191 x 160 x 5 cm Painting . 75.2 x 63 x 2 inch

€11,900

Fine Art Drawings, Provencale No. 17, Pascal Plazanet

Pascal Plazanet

Fine Art Drawings . 29.5 x 42 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 11.6 x 16.5 x 0 inch

€1,400

Painting, Trip to Germany, Jia Yuan Hua

Jia Yuan Hua

Painting . 40 x 50 x 4 cm Painting . 15.7 x 19.7 x 1.6 inch

€3,600

Painting, Selo-S.V, Ivan Tzonev

Ivan Tzonev

Painting . 100 x 100 x 2 cm Painting . 39.4 x 39.4 x 0.8 inch

€1,000

Painting, City Church, Valery Savenets

Valery Savenets

Painting . 50 x 60 x 2 cm Painting . 19.7 x 23.6 x 0.8 inch

€340

Painting, Les barques rouges, Autonne

Autonne

Painting . 122 x 76 x 4 cm Painting . 48 x 29.9 x 1.6 inch

€4,800

Painting, Inner peace, Joanna Misoteri

Joanna Misoteri

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

€673

Painting, Struttura del tempo, Moi.

Moi.

Painting . 80 x 100 x 2 cm Painting . 31.5 x 39.4 x 0.8 inch

€2,200

Painting, Série N.Y. #1, Koba

Koba

Painting . 60 x 80 x 2 cm Painting . 23.6 x 31.5 x 0.8 inch

€500

Painting, Gratte ciel, Toussaint

Toussaint

Painting . 100 x 80 x 2 cm Painting . 39.4 x 31.5 x 0.8 inch

€2,200

Painting, Megapolis 6, Max Yaskin

Max Yaskin

Painting . 100 x 200 x 1 cm Painting . 39.4 x 78.7 x 0.4 inch

€2,750

Painting, Fragments, Andrea Vandoni

Andrea Vandoni

Painting . 80 x 70 x 4 cm Painting . 31.5 x 27.6 x 1.6 inch

€1,200

Painting, Untitled 44, Lucio Forte

Lucio Forte

Painting . 30 x 40 x 1.7 cm Painting . 11.8 x 15.7 x 0.7 inch

€175

Painting, Untitle, Lucio Forte

Lucio Forte

Painting . 50 x 70 x 4 cm Painting . 19.7 x 27.6 x 1.6 inch

€200

Painting, Warsaw 4, Joanna Woyda

Joanna Woyda

Painting . 22 x 49 cm Painting . 8.7 x 19.3 inch

€350

Painting, Sete lighthouse, Mike Jacobs

Mike Jacobs

Painting . 18 x 13 x 0.3 cm Painting . 7.1 x 5.1 x 0.1 inch

€120

Painting, Myrphée, Bernard Vié

Bernard Vié

Painting . 120 x 120 x 3 cm Painting . 47.2 x 47.2 x 1.2 inch

€3,000

Fine Art Drawings, Provencale No.13, Pascal Plazanet

Pascal Plazanet

Fine Art Drawings . 29.5 x 42 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 11.6 x 16.5 x 0 inch

€1,400

Painting, Tour Eiffel logos, PyB

PyB

Painting . 24 x 18 x 2 cm Painting . 9.4 x 7.1 x 0.8 inch

€120

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