How did photography change the role of painting in the 19th century?

In the 19th century, the emergence of photography fundamentally altered the role of painting. Previously, painting and drawing served as the primary means of accurately depicting the visual world and disseminating information. The arrival of the camera, which could record detail with unprecedented efficiency, initially led some artists to fear that painting had become obsolete.12

However, rather than replacing painting, photography eventually liberated it from the obligation of objective representation. Because photography assumed the role of recording the physical world, painters were freed to move away from academic traditions and explore the intrinsic elements of their medium, such as color, tone, line, and composition. This shift encouraged the development of modern art, characterized by a move toward abstraction and the expression of subjective, personal visions.1

While some artists used photographs as aids for their work, the two mediums eventually diverged, with photography establishing itself as a distinct, valuable art form in its own right.31