Modern art or “classical modernism“ begins with the 20th century. Modern art contains still the realistic figurative representation but also its rejection up to total abstraction. It is characterized by artistic experimentation and the rejection of the traditional use of colours and forms. The classical modernism includes different art styles as expressionism, cubismus or “New objectivity“.
This implies the representation of constructional objects (houses, squares, bridges etc.) for their own sake, thus serving not only as staffage, background, or as attribute. There were architecture pictures already in ancient Pompeji. In Middle Ages depicted constructions just indicate a certain scene. The actual architecture picture arises in the 16th century in Netherlands(f. e. “Brueghel's Tower of Babel”). Dutch artists prevailed here up until the 17th century, and were followed by Italian artists in the 18th century. In modern times the representation of architecture has become a domain of photographers.