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!

Read more
Painting, Ville jaune, Karin Boinet

Karin Boinet

Painting . 32 x 24 x 0.1 cm Painting . 12.6 x 9.4 x 0 inch

€850

Sculpture, Temple, 1/8, Beatrice Bizot

Beatrice Bizot

Sculpture . 30 x 23 x 18 cm Sculpture . 11.8 x 9.1 x 7.1 inch

€2,800

Painting, It seems Strange., Paul Ward

Paul Ward

Painting . 41.9 x 30.5 x 5.1 cm Painting . 16.5 x 12 x 2 inch

€2,058

Painting, Pagoda, Le Nhu Ha

Le Nhu Ha

Painting . 127 x 147.3 x 5.1 cm Painting . 50 x 58 x 2 inch

€7,144

Painting, Ischia, Léopold Survage

Léopold Survage

Painting . 45 x 55 x 0.2 cm Painting . 17.7 x 21.7 x 0.1 inch

€8,500

Painting, Gate 3, Valentina Grilli

Valentina Grilli

Painting . 34.5 x 52.3 x 4 cm Painting . 13.6 x 20.6 x 1.6 inch

€1,620

Painting, Swimming pool, Meleo

Meleo

Painting . 49 x 32 x 8 cm Painting . 19.3 x 12.6 x 3.1 inch

€1,400

Painting, Décantation, Monkeybird

Monkeybird

Painting . 77.5 x 36.7 x 1.5 cm Painting . 30.5 x 14.4 x 0.6 inch

€2,600

Design, Radius, Olivier Moravik

Olivier Moravik

Design . 42 x 100 x 38 cm Design . 16.5 x 39.4 x 15 inch

€8,000

Painting, Ten Bells, Logan Hicks

Logan Hicks

Painting . 77 x 57 x 0.01 cm Painting . 30.3 x 22.4 x 0 inch

€1,500

Painting, Misty House, Lana Devidze

Lana Devidze

Painting . 59.5 x 49.5 x 1.6 cm Painting . 23.4 x 19.5 x 0.6 inch

€1,000

Painting, Chinitas, Nigel Bailey

Nigel Bailey

Painting . 40.3 x 40.3 x 0.4 cm Painting . 15.9 x 15.9 x 0.2 inch

€1,025

Painting, View of Bass Rock, Mike Hall

Mike Hall

Painting . 37 x 30 x 1 cm Painting . 14.6 x 11.8 x 0.4 inch

€965

Sculpture, S Portrait, Joël Froment

Joël Froment

Sculpture . 34 x 24 x 4 cm Sculpture . 13.4 x 9.4 x 1.6 inch

€1,400

Painting, North Island, Clara Duch

Clara Duch

Painting . 80 x 60 x 2.5 cm Painting . 31.5 x 23.6 x 1 inch

€2,000

Fine Art Drawings, Lorgues, Francine Ledieu

Francine Ledieu

Fine Art Drawings . 50 x 65 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 19.7 x 25.6 x 0 inch

€3,800

Photography, Havane I, Djamel Djebbour

Djamel Djebbour

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

€6,000

Painting, Etimos, Paolo Grimaldi

Paolo Grimaldi

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

€4,400

Print, Le marais, Topolino

Topolino

Print . 37 x 48 x 0.5 cm Print . 14.6 x 18.9 x 0.2 inch

€200

Painting, Aldaba, Josefa Sanz del Amo

Josefa Sanz del Amo

Painting . 32.5 x 35 x 0.1 cm Painting . 12.8 x 13.8 x 0 inch

€1,300

Photography, Mirror, Maciej Leszczynski

Maciej Leszczynski

Photography . 18 x 28 cm Photography . 7.1 x 11 inch

€350

Print, The Church, Alyssa Crosby

Alyssa Crosby

Print . 53.3 x 53.3 cm Print . 21 x 21 inch

€1,328

Print, Ship & Bladebone, Janmar

Janmar

Print . 65 x 100 x 1 cm Print . 25.6 x 39.4 x 0.4 inch

€1,800

Painting, New York, Mario Garcia Miro

Mario Garcia Miro

Painting . 91 x 126 x 3 cm Painting . 35.8 x 49.6 x 1.2 inch

€6,555

Fine Art Drawings, City of sky, Junya Wang

Junya Wang

Fine Art Drawings . 70 x 46 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 27.6 x 18.1 x 0.4 inch

€2,000

Photography, NL #06, Charles Weber

Charles Weber

Photography . 70 x 70 cm Photography . 27.6 x 27.6 inch

€2,600

Painting, A Small city, Piotr Fafrowicz

Piotr Fafrowicz

Painting . 46 x 55.5 x 0.1 cm Painting . 18.1 x 21.9 x 0 inch

€1,800

Painting, Baalbek, Alain Bordier

Alain Bordier

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

€4,000

Painting, Cascade, Anna Krtshatsyan

Anna Krtshatsyan

Painting . 125 x 145 x 2 cm Painting . 49.2 x 57.1 x 0.8 inch

€1,600 €1,440

Painting, In August, Gayle Fitzpatrick

Gayle Fitzpatrick

Painting . 55.9 x 55.9 x 2.5 cm Painting . 22 x 22 x 1 inch

€888

Fine Art Drawings, Tsaritsyno, Simon Kozhin

Simon Kozhin

Fine Art Drawings . 21 x 28 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 8.3 x 11 x 0 inch

€2,255

Painting, Museum, Slav Nedev

Slav Nedev

Painting . 59.9 x 136.9 x 2 cm Painting . 23.6 x 53.9 x 0.8 inch

€5,038