The evolution of photography and its influence on European painting is contextualized considering the social circumstances of the 19th century. The historical overview of the idea of photography and its inventions is given, which lead to the appearance of photography in the 19th century. Then the gradual development of the photographic technique is described in detail, among which of the most striking contributions are attributed to Niepce, Daguerre and Talbot. Social and industrial reactions to photography are described. Afterwards, a meticulous analysis of individual artists and their relation to photography is given, as well as specific examples that clarify their connection with photography. There have been many European painters who had engaged in photography and integrated it in their artistic work, but the emphasis is only placed on the most important ones: Courbet, Ingres, Delacroix, the PreRaphaelite Brotherhood, the Barbizon school of painters, the Impressionists, Manet, Degas, Les Nabis, the Post-Impressionists and Symbolists. The conclusion shortly describes how photography affected painting, but the importance of the matter is also highlighted in the context of art history.