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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Painting, The 50, Pappay

Pappay

Painting . 40 x 40 x 2 cm Painting . 15.7 x 15.7 x 0.8 inch

€500

Painting, Farmyard, Milan Laciak

Milan Laciak

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

€925

Painting, Contrasto, Tamara Bellarte

Tamara Bellarte

Painting . 60 x 80 x 3 cm Painting . 23.6 x 31.5 x 1.2 inch

€350

Fine Art Drawings, Provencale No. 6, Pascal Plazanet

Pascal Plazanet

Fine Art Drawings . 29.5 x 37 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 11.6 x 14.6 x 0 inch

€1,400

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, Reitberg, Elena Borstein

Elena Borstein

Painting . 152.4 x 101.6 x 3.8 cm Painting . 60 x 40 x 1.5 inch

€16,500

Painting, Prenzlauer, Nigel Bailey

Nigel Bailey

Painting . 40.3 x 51 x 0.5 cm Painting . 15.9 x 20.1 x 0.2 inch

€850 €765

Painting, August, Nigel Bailey

Nigel Bailey

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

€850 €765

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, Croatia I, Sona Adalyan

Sona Adalyan

Painting . 70 x 50 x 2 cm Painting . 27.6 x 19.7 x 0.8 inch

€699

Painting, Paris + vert., ARySQUE

ARySQUE

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

€300

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, Selo V, Ivan Tzonev

Ivan Tzonev

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

€80

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, Folegandros, Elena Borstein

Elena Borstein

Painting . 152.4 x 101.6 x 3.8 cm Painting . 60 x 40 x 1.5 inch

€16,500

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

€701

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

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, 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, Babylone, Ceet Fouad

Ceet Fouad

Painting . 200 x 150 x 3 cm Painting . 78.7 x 59.1 x 1.2 inch

€18,000

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, 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, Éternité, Richard Poumelin

Richard Poumelin

Painting . 80 x 80 x 3 cm Painting . 31.5 x 31.5 x 1.2 inch

€2,750

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, Tour Eiffel logos, PyB

PyB

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

€120

Painting, Skull logos, PyB

PyB

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

€190

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, Rapunzels Turm, Osse Müller

Osse Müller

Painting . 110 x 85 x 0.8 cm Painting . 43.3 x 33.5 x 0.3 inch

€3,800

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, Série N.Y. #1, Koba

Koba

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

€500 €450

Painting, Hemostasis, Dyala Khodary

Dyala Khodary

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

€11,900

Painting, Les cabines de plage, Azziel

Azziel

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

€100 €90

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, Warsaw 3, Joanna Woyda

Joanna Woyda

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

€350

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, 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, 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

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