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, Boy with Dice, Le Hai Linh

Le Hai Linh

Painting . 100 x 120 x 1 cm Painting . 39.4 x 47.2 x 0.4 inch

€4,275

Painting, Urban Desert, Kuteroff

Kuteroff

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

€4,100

Painting, Notre maison, Rudyard Heaton

Rudyard Heaton

Painting . 90 x 90 x 2.5 cm Painting . 35.4 x 35.4 x 1 inch

€1,200

Painting, Inner city, Anand Manchiraju

Anand Manchiraju

Painting . 76.2 x 101.6 x 0.3 cm Painting . 30 x 40 x 0.1 inch

€5,382

Painting, Ruin Houses, Davit Arstamyan

Davit Arstamyan

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

€673

Painting, Lonely castle, Mani Mustafa

Mani Mustafa

Painting . 60 x 60 x 0.1 cm Painting . 23.6 x 23.6 x 0 inch

€1,800

Painting, Ocean palace, Mani Mustafa

Mani Mustafa

Painting . 50 x 70 x 0.1 cm Painting . 19.7 x 27.6 x 0 inch

€1,800

Painting, Mleta, Tengiz Cholokava

Tengiz Cholokava

Painting . 18 x 23 x 1 cm Painting . 7.1 x 9.1 x 0.4 inch

€370

Painting, Enuma Elish 3, Alex Colard

Alex Colard

Painting . 200 x 200 x 2 cm Painting . 78.7 x 78.7 x 0.8 inch

€9,012

Painting, Palace in bloom, Mani Mustafa

Mani Mustafa

Painting . 60 x 60 x 0.1 cm Painting . 23.6 x 23.6 x 0 inch

€1,800

Painting, City of Joy, Anand Manchiraju

Anand Manchiraju

Painting . 66 x 114.3 x 0.3 cm Painting . 26 x 45 x 0.1 inch

€5,382

Painting, Selo F2, Ivan Tzonev

Ivan Tzonev

Painting . 20 x 20 x 2 cm Painting . 7.9 x 7.9 x 0.8 inch

€80

Painting, Enuma Elish 2, Alex Colard

Alex Colard

Painting . 120 x 200 x 3 cm Painting . 47.2 x 78.7 x 1.2 inch

€7,582

Painting, Dusk, Ružena Velesová

Ružena Velesová

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

€540

Painting, Red Dancer, Eric Tournaire

Eric Tournaire

Painting . 32 x 24 x 0.2 cm Painting . 12.6 x 9.4 x 0.1 inch

€480

Painting, Croatia II, Sona Adalyan

Sona Adalyan

Painting . 20 x 20 x 2 cm Painting . 7.9 x 7.9 x 0.8 inch

€260

Painting, Arlequin, Eric Khellas

Eric Khellas

Painting . 73 x 92 x 5 cm Painting . 28.7 x 36.2 x 2 inch

€1,210

Fine Art Drawings, The Villas Secret, Nora Shade

Nora Shade

Fine Art Drawings . 30 x 42 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 11.8 x 16.5 x 0 inch

€224

Painting, Exit, Menkiv Anatoliy

Menkiv Anatoliy

Painting . 130 x 190 x 2 cm Painting . 51.2 x 74.8 x 0.8 inch

€4,000

Painting, Memories 11, Almazan Miquel

Almazan Miquel

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

€700

Fine Art Drawings, Roman Warmth, Nora Shade

Nora Shade

Fine Art Drawings . 30 x 30 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 11.8 x 11.8 x 0 inch

€224

Fine Art Drawings, Waiting at Noon, Nora Shade

Nora Shade

Fine Art Drawings . 30 x 30 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 11.8 x 11.8 x 0 inch

€224

Fine Art Drawings, Tuscan Silence, Nora Shade

Nora Shade

Fine Art Drawings . 30 x 30 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 11.8 x 11.8 x 0 inch

€224

Fine Art Drawings, Silent Drift, Nora Shade

Nora Shade

Fine Art Drawings . 30 x 30 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 11.8 x 11.8 x 0 inch

€224

Painting, Enuma Elish 1, Alex Colard

Alex Colard

Painting . 97 x 200 x 2 cm Painting . 38.2 x 78.7 x 0.8 inch

€6,486

Painting, Croatia III, Sona Adalyan

Sona Adalyan

Painting . 23 x 17 x 2 cm Painting . 9.1 x 6.7 x 0.8 inch

€220

Painting, Golden wind, Ludovic Mercher

Ludovic Mercher

Painting . 81 x 130 x 2.5 cm Painting . 31.9 x 51.2 x 1 inch

€1,200

Sculpture, La Brique Bitcoin, JP Malot

JP Malot

Sculpture . 22 x 10 x 5 cm Sculpture . 8.7 x 3.9 x 2 inch

€600

Painting, Khu Van Hoa. Hanoi, Loi Duc

Loi Duc

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

€8,750

Painting, The rise, Amogh Katyayan

Amogh Katyayan

Painting . 101.6 x 76.2 x 3.8 cm Painting . 40 x 30 x 1.5 inch

€807

Painting, Arches, Ludovic Mercher

Ludovic Mercher

Painting . 81 x 130 x 2.5 cm Painting . 31.9 x 51.2 x 1 inch

€1,200

Painting, Old City, Abashidze Marusya

Abashidze Marusya

Painting . 50 x 40 x 2 cm Painting . 19.7 x 15.7 x 0.8 inch

€270

Painting, Balcony, Anthony Dunphy

Anthony Dunphy

Painting . 40.6 x 50.8 x 0.8 cm Painting . 16 x 20 x 0.3 inch

€742

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