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, Flow, Maylis Bourdet

Maylis Bourdet

Painting . 100 x 73 x 2.5 cm Painting . 39.4 x 28.7 x 1 inch

€1,360

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, Overlay, Stanislav Lazarov

Stanislav Lazarov

Painting . 76 x 100 x 2 cm Painting . 29.9 x 39.4 x 0.8 inch

€1,590

Painting, Baie Ronan, Jacques Guillet

Jacques Guillet

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

€800

Painting, Roma, Veronika Benoni

Veronika Benoni

Painting . 42 x 102 x 2 cm Painting . 16.5 x 40.2 x 0.8 inch

€1,900

Print, Untitled, Arnau Alemany

Arnau Alemany

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

€400

Painting, N-XII, Florence Malcombe

Florence Malcombe

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

€140

Painting, Souvenir, Sylvie Eudes

Sylvie Eudes

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

€2,800

Painting, Frida Milano, Lucio Forte

Lucio Forte

Painting . 40 x 50 x 1.5 cm Painting . 15.7 x 19.7 x 0.6 inch

€220

Painting, Voxel 137, Michael Aubanel

Michael Aubanel

Painting . 32 x 32 x 0.1 cm Painting . 12.6 x 12.6 x 0 inch

€550

Painting, Yellow glow, Mea Ambrozo

Mea Ambrozo

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

€2,200

Fine Art Drawings, Rêverie italienne, 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

Photography, Ravello Stairs, Andreea B

Andreea B

Photography . 60 x 40 x 0.1 cm Photography . 23.6 x 15.7 x 0 inch

€414

Photography, Intervals 1., Petr Strnad

Petr Strnad

Photography . 30 x 40 x 0.1 cm Photography . 11.8 x 15.7 x 0 inch

€320

Print, Notre-Dame, Jean Gourmelin

Jean Gourmelin

Print . 65 x 50 x 0.2 cm Print . 25.6 x 19.7 x 0.1 inch

€250

Print, Untitled, Enotrio Pugliese

Enotrio Pugliese

Print . 53 x 73 x 0.2 cm Print . 20.9 x 28.7 x 0.1 inch

€300

Print, Untitled, Luis Fernández

Luis Fernández

Print . 100 x 70 x 0.1 cm Print . 39.4 x 27.6 x 0 inch

€222

Photography, Inagawa AM, Edmund Sumner

Edmund Sumner

Photography . 58.5 x 46.1 x 0.1 cm Photography . 23 x 18.1 x 0 inch

€1,096

Sculpture, Fabulair Maison, Manon Oller

Manon Oller

Sculpture . 54 x 22 x 22 cm Sculpture . 21.3 x 8.7 x 8.7 inch

€2,200

Painting, Marche et rêve, Zou

Zou

Painting . 81 x 130 x 4 cm Painting . 31.9 x 51.2 x 1.6 inch

€3,500

Photography, Ocean view, Marcus Cederberg

Marcus Cederberg

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

€200

Photography, Nelda's Pool, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

Photography . 31 x 41 cm Photography . 12.2 x 16.1 inch

€2,050

Photography, Zizkov, Tom Evangelidis

Tom Evangelidis

Photography . 144 x 122 x 0.1 cm Photography . 56.7 x 48 x 0 inch

€5,000

Photography, Intruder II, Clint McDowell

Clint McDowell

Photography . 60 x 90 cm Photography . 23.6 x 35.4 inch

€1,000

Painting, Buldin 2, Paulino Ustarroz

Paulino Ustarroz

Painting . 55 x 46 x 3 cm Painting . 21.7 x 18.1 x 1.2 inch

€600

Photography, Mirages #14, Javier Rey

Javier Rey

Photography . 75 x 55 x 0.3 cm Photography . 29.5 x 21.7 x 0.1 inch

€1,104

Painting, Jerusalem 2, Olga Vayshbein

Olga Vayshbein

Painting . 52 x 42 x 1 cm Painting . 20.5 x 16.5 x 0.4 inch

€1,263

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

€1,025

Painting, Light Fire, Cinz

Cinz

Painting . 195 x 130 x 4 cm Painting . 76.8 x 51.2 x 1.6 inch

€4,931

Painting, US beach, Appaloosa

Appaloosa

Painting . 54 x 73 x 2 cm Painting . 21.3 x 28.7 x 0.8 inch

€750

Painting, On the bridge, Galya Popova

Galya Popova

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

€1,600