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, L'audacieux, Laurelle Bessé

Laurelle Bessé

Painting . 140 x 70 x 3 cm Painting . 55.1 x 27.6 x 1.2 inch

€2,900

Painting, I Love NY, Katrina Avotina

Katrina Avotina

Painting . 81 x 61 x 2 cm Painting . 31.9 x 24 x 0.8 inch

€2,140

Painting, Lyon 2070, Charlotte Pivard

Charlotte Pivard

Painting . 50 x 100 x 3 cm Painting . 19.7 x 39.4 x 1.2 inch

€2,000

Painting, Post Apocalypse 7, Han Qi

Han Qi

Painting . 65 x 50 x 2 cm Painting . 25.6 x 19.7 x 0.8 inch

€1,400

Painting, Nice II, Andrzej Borowski

Andrzej Borowski

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

€2,500

Painting, Bank Street, Nigel Bailey

Nigel Bailey

Painting . 30.4 x 30.4 x 0.3 cm Painting . 12 x 12 x 0.1 inch

€300

Painting, View of Portsoy, Mike Hall

Mike Hall

Painting . 35 x 30 x 1 cm Painting . 13.8 x 11.8 x 0.4 inch

€955

Painting, Flow, Mirtha Otaño

Mirtha Otaño

Painting . 63 x 93 x 4 cm Painting . 24.8 x 36.6 x 1.6 inch

€2,990

Painting, Impasse des ateliers, Calat

Calat

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

€625

Fine Art Drawings, Untitled, Ernest Salvadó

Ernest Salvadó

Fine Art Drawings . 90 x 54 cm Fine Art Drawings . 35.4 x 21.3 inch

€555

Painting, Box I, Brent Hallard

Brent Hallard

Painting . 35.5 x 35.5 cm Painting . 14 x 14 inch

€961

Painting, Hickson Road, Nigel Bailey

Nigel Bailey

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

€850

Painting, Vienna, Irakli Chikovani

Irakli Chikovani

Painting . 74 x 88 x 3 cm Painting . 29.1 x 34.6 x 1.2 inch

€1,600

Painting, Estate infinita, Moi.

Moi.

Painting . 116 x 81 x 2 cm Painting . 45.7 x 31.9 x 0.8 inch

€3,200

Painting, Home, Vitaliy Lishko

Vitaliy Lishko

Painting . 70 x 180 x 2 cm Painting . 27.6 x 70.9 x 0.8 inch

€6,500

Painting, Gotham 1, Tarek

Tarek

Painting . 98 x 206 x 1 cm Painting . 38.6 x 81.1 x 0.4 inch

€8,200

Painting, Beach house, Laura Newman

Laura Newman

Painting . 183 x 142 cm Painting . 72 x 55.9 inch

€14,592

Painting, L'avion, Nigel Bailey

Nigel Bailey

Painting . 40.3 x 40.3 x 0.3 cm Painting . 15.9 x 15.9 x 0.1 inch

€700

Painting, Chinatown, David Tycho

David Tycho

Painting . 101 x 76 x 2 cm Painting . 39.8 x 29.9 x 0.8 inch

€4,600

Painting, Slopes B8, Daniel Göttin

Daniel Göttin

Painting . 30 x 24 cm Painting . 11.8 x 9.4 inch

€2,402

Painting, Vienna, Irakli Chikovani

Irakli Chikovani

Painting . 73 x 94 x 3 cm Painting . 28.7 x 37 x 1.2 inch

€1,800

Painting, Cataclysme, Jérôme Rasto

Jérôme Rasto

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

€750

Painting, Gateway 4, Brian Elwell

Brian Elwell

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

€781

Painting, Architecture, Max Yaskin

Max Yaskin

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

€1,950

Painting, Farmyard, Milan Laciak

Milan Laciak

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

€925

Sculpture, Tour Eiffel logos, PyB

PyB

Sculpture . 32 x 15 x 6 cm Sculpture . 12.6 x 5.9 x 2.4 inch

€190

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

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

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