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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Fine Art Drawings, XX146150, Pierre Muckensturm

Pierre Muckensturm

Fine Art Drawings - 40 x 30 cm Fine Art Drawings - 15.7 x 11.8 inch

$798

Fine Art Drawings, Strada Rosa, Pauline Di Valentin

Pauline Di Valentin

Fine Art Drawings - 70 x 100 x 0.01 cm Fine Art Drawings - 27.6 x 39.4 x 0 inch

$2,454

Fine Art Drawings, Chicago, Josep Maria Mejan

Josep Maria Mejan

Fine Art Drawings - 14 x 10.7 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 5.5 x 4.2 x 0 inch

$798

Fine Art Drawings, Réappropriation 13, Kurar

Kurar

Fine Art Drawings - 70 x 100 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 27.6 x 39.4 x 0.4 inch

$4,049

Fine Art Drawings, Illuminated, Victor Roschkov

Victor Roschkov

Fine Art Drawings - 50.8 x 66.8 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 20 x 26.3 x 0.1 inch

$649

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

$2,767

Fine Art Drawings, Jungle, Anne-Laure Maison

Anne-Laure Maison

Fine Art Drawings - 28.5 x 20 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.2 x 7.9 inch

$614

Fine Art Drawings, The Ponte Vecchio, Eugene Pons

Eugene Pons

Fine Art Drawings - 22 x 28 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 8.7 x 11 x 0.1 inch

$294

Fine Art Drawings, Ritual, Enrico Sacchetti

Enrico Sacchetti

Fine Art Drawings - 72 x 54 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 28.3 x 21.3 x 0 inch

$1,841

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

$2,454

Fine Art Drawings, Honfleur, Jean Le Gac

Jean Le Gac

Fine Art Drawings - 29.5 x 38 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.6 x 15 inch

$1,288

Fine Art Drawings, The Tower, Sam Perry

Sam Perry

Fine Art Drawings - 88.9 x 71.12 x 2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 35 x 28 x 0.8 inch

$1,250

Fine Art Drawings, Untitled, Luis Fernández

Luis Fernández

Fine Art Drawings - 100 x 70 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 39.4 x 27.6 x 0 inch

$4,295

Fine Art Drawings, Architecture, R.P.J.

R.P.J.

Fine Art Drawings - 64.5 x 82.5 x 0.4 cm Fine Art Drawings - 25.4 x 32.5 x 0.2 inch

$1,522

Fine Art Drawings, View, Nicolas Damianakis

Nicolas Damianakis

Fine Art Drawings - 24 x 31.5 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 9.4 x 12.4 x 0 inch

$368

Fine Art Drawings, Hall, Alexandre Berlant

Alexandre Berlant

Fine Art Drawings - 23 x 31 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 9.1 x 12.2 x 0.1 inch

$552

Fine Art Drawings, Cityscape, Jean Chapin

Jean Chapin

Fine Art Drawings - 27.3 x 21 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 10.7 x 8.3 x 0.1 inch

$466

Fine Art Drawings, Landscape, Alfred Sobottka

Alfred Sobottka

Fine Art Drawings - 29.4 x 32.7 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.6 x 12.9 x 0 inch

$601

Fine Art Drawings, Venise 1, Nadéra Benmansour

Nadéra Benmansour

Fine Art Drawings - 30 x 30 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.8 x 11.8 inch

$294

Fine Art Drawings, Landscape, Myriam Bering

Myriam Bering

Fine Art Drawings - 31.5 x 41 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 12.4 x 16.1 x 0 inch

$491

Fine Art Drawings, Folie 7, Denis Poughon

Denis Poughon

Fine Art Drawings - 26 x 13 x 1.3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 10.2 x 5.1 x 0.5 inch

$429

Fine Art Drawings, Les inséparables, Elips

Elips

Fine Art Drawings - 29.7 x 42 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.7 x 16.5 x 0.1 inch

$577

Fine Art Drawings, Untitled, Robert Delval

Robert Delval

Fine Art Drawings - 50.8 x 40.6 x 2.5 cm Fine Art Drawings - 20 x 16 x 1 inch

$125

Fine Art Drawings, Palermo_5, Galya Popova

Galya Popova

Fine Art Drawings - 100 x 70 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 39.4 x 27.6 x 0 inch

$2,209

Fine Art Drawings, Jeux d'ombre, Agnès Tiollier

Agnès Tiollier

Fine Art Drawings - 100 x 70 x 0.25 cm Fine Art Drawings - 39.4 x 27.6 x 0.1 inch

$1,595

Fine Art Drawings, Théorèmes #1, Nagsoul

Nagsoul

Fine Art Drawings - 22 x 32 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 8.7 x 12.6 x 0 inch

$982

Fine Art Drawings, XX164175, Pierre Muckensturm

Pierre Muckensturm

Fine Art Drawings - 42 x 29.7 cm Fine Art Drawings - 16.5 x 11.7 inch

$798

Fine Art Drawings, Untitled 262, Tarek Butayhi

Tarek Butayhi

Fine Art Drawings - 21 x 30 cm Fine Art Drawings - 8.3 x 11.8 inch

$700

Fine Art Drawings, Untitled 12, Ilia Balavadze

Ilia Balavadze

Fine Art Drawings - 70 x 90 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 27.6 x 35.4 x 0 inch

$1,595

Fine Art Drawings, Untitled 250, Tarek Butayhi

Tarek Butayhi

Fine Art Drawings - 21 x 30 cm Fine Art Drawings - 8.3 x 11.8 inch

$700

Fine Art Drawings, Untitled 246, Tarek Butayhi

Tarek Butayhi

Fine Art Drawings - 21 x 30 cm Fine Art Drawings - 8.3 x 11.8 inch

$700

Fine Art Drawings, The Courtyard, Libby Bothway

Libby Bothway

Fine Art Drawings - 40 x 32 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 15.7 x 12.6 x 0 inch

$640

Fine Art Drawings, First and First, Michael Grine

Michael Grine

Fine Art Drawings - 45.7 x 61 x 1.9 cm Fine Art Drawings - 18 x 24 x 0.75 inch

$500

Fine Art Drawings, Chicago, Josep Maria Mejan

Josep Maria Mejan

Fine Art Drawings - 14 x 10.7 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 5.5 x 4.2 x 0 inch

$798

Fine Art Drawings, HfG Fassade, Yves Bélorgey

Yves Bélorgey

Fine Art Drawings - 80 x 121 cm Fine Art Drawings - 31.5 x 47.6 inch

$9,203

Fine Art Drawings, Interior (3), Cedric Avril

Cedric Avril

Fine Art Drawings - 24 x 20 x 0.05 cm Fine Art Drawings - 9.4 x 7.9 x 0 inch

$969