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, Break, Sylvie Eudes

Sylvie Eudes

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

€2,800

Fine Art Drawings, Sous la lune rouge, Mascarade

Mascarade

Fine Art Drawings . 76 x 56 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings . 29.9 x 22 x 0.1 inch

€1,000

Painting, Grow old with you, Poovi Art

Poovi Art

Painting . 91.4 x 121.9 x 5.1 cm Painting . 36 x 48 x 2 inch

€1,446

Painting, Golden Elephant Calf, AreiRa

AreiRa

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

€1,200

Fine Art Drawings, Place des Vosges, Pascal Plazanet

Pascal Plazanet

Fine Art Drawings . 29.5 x 36 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 11.6 x 14.2 x 0 inch

€1,900

Painting, Pause musicale, Sylvie Eudes

Sylvie Eudes

Painting . 100 x 100 x 5 cm Painting . 39.4 x 39.4 x 2 inch

€4,500

Painting, Oasis, Ben Labarthe

Ben Labarthe

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

€3,000

Painting, Moulin rouge, Volt

Volt

Painting . 60 x 80 x 1 cm Painting . 23.6 x 31.5 x 0.4 inch

€300

Fine Art Drawings, Untitled, Ernest Salvadó

Ernest Salvadó

Fine Art Drawings . 55 x 91 cm Fine Art Drawings . 21.7 x 35.8 inch

€555

Painting, The tree, LOg

LOg

Painting . 30 x 60 x 2 cm Painting . 11.8 x 23.6 x 0.8 inch

€500

Painting, Landscape 01, Timm Blandin

Timm Blandin

Painting . 146 x 97 x 3 cm Painting . 57.5 x 38.2 x 1.2 inch

€6,800

Painting, Havane, Mea Ambrozo

Mea Ambrozo

Painting . 50 x 50 x 1 cm Painting . 19.7 x 19.7 x 0.4 inch

€2,500

Painting, Beautiful Snow, Jia Yuan Hua

Jia Yuan Hua

Painting . 30 x 40 x 2 cm Painting . 11.8 x 15.7 x 0.8 inch

€1,600

Painting, Purple Hour, Marius Messinese

Marius Messinese

Painting . 114 x 146 x 3 cm Painting . 44.9 x 57.5 x 1.2 inch

€5,500

Painting, Joy factory!, Marta Zawadzka

Marta Zawadzka

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

€5,500

Painting, Quiet Crossing, Nora Shade

Nora Shade

Painting . 99 x 150 x 0.1 cm Painting . 39 x 59.1 x 0 inch

€1,356

Painting, After Dark, Notseig

Notseig

Painting . 100 x 100 x 0.5 cm Painting . 39.4 x 39.4 x 0.2 inch

€3,000

Painting, Room 2, Tamta Chachanidze

Tamta Chachanidze

Painting . 50 x 50 x 3 cm Painting . 19.7 x 19.7 x 1.2 inch

€800

Painting, Loft, Disek

Disek

Painting . 100 x 100 cm Painting . 39.4 x 39.4 inch

€2,800

Painting, Layers, Stanislav Lazarov

Stanislav Lazarov

Painting . 100 x 70 x 2 cm Painting . 39.4 x 27.6 x 0.8 inch

€1,600

Painting, La toile dans la toile, Moi.

Moi.

Painting . 100 x 81 x 1.7 cm Painting . 39.4 x 31.9 x 0.7 inch

€2,400

Painting, Winter, Jia Yuan Hua

Jia Yuan Hua

Painting . 29 x 20 x 2 cm Painting . 11.4 x 7.9 x 0.8 inch

€1,400

Painting, Le phare, Abera Cad

Abera Cad

Painting . 92 x 73 x 2 cm Painting . 36.2 x 28.7 x 0.8 inch

€689

Painting, Sainte-Foy, Nigel Bailey

Nigel Bailey

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

€836

Painting, Red roofs 22, Poovi Art

Poovi Art

Painting . 121.9 x 76.2 x 5.1 cm Painting . 48 x 30 x 2 inch

€805

Painting, Au bord de l'Aveyron, Navema

Navema

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

€960

Painting, Urban 2, Friedhard Meyer

Friedhard Meyer

Painting . 60 x 80 x 5 cm Painting . 23.6 x 31.5 x 2 inch

€1,100

Painting, Il Duomo, Bernard Vié

Bernard Vié

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

€2,400

Painting, Dream city, Rem Pirumov

Rem Pirumov

Painting . 60.5 x 22 cm Painting . 23.8 x 8.7 inch

€500

Painting, Sans titre, Ceet Fouad

Ceet Fouad

Painting . 80 x 30 x 0.3 cm Painting . 31.5 x 11.8 x 0.1 inch

€2,200

Painting, Contrasto, Tamara Bellarte

Tamara Bellarte

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

€350

Painting, L'invitation, Valerie Le Meur

Valerie Le Meur

Painting . 65 x 54 x 2 cm Painting . 25.6 x 21.3 x 0.8 inch

€1,200

Painting, Cottage, Irish Galon

Irish Galon

Painting . 39 x 24 x 1 cm Painting . 15.4 x 9.4 x 0.4 inch

€875

Painting, Idyllique, Sylvie Eudes

Sylvie Eudes

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

€2,800

Painting, Ala Alhambra, Marco Araldi

Marco Araldi

Painting . 61 x 61 x 5 cm Painting . 24 x 24 x 2 inch

€2,171

Painting, Ramen Bowl, Meleo

Meleo

Painting . 31 x 22 x 1 cm Painting . 12.2 x 8.7 x 0.4 inch

€500

Painting, Sybelstrasse, Nigel Bailey

Nigel Bailey

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

€836

Painting, September, Alain Churlaud

Alain Churlaud

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

€800

Painting, Pont du Gard, Natalia Kuruch

Natalia Kuruch

Painting . 80 x 120 x 3 cm Painting . 31.5 x 47.2 x 1.2 inch

€3,210