Question

What 19th century invention is said to have freed the artist to create

Answer 1

It has been said that "impressionism" or "abstractionism" "freed the artist" to create, since these methods reduced the emphasis on "realistic" representation and gave the artist far more creative freedom.
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Answer 2

Impressionism is the invention that is said to have freed the artists to create because to be more expressive with their art and turn emotions into art .