Pictorialistit

Pictorialism was an international artistic movement in photography that began in the late 19th century and lasted until the early 20th century. It was characterized by its aspiration to elevate photography to the status of painting and sculpture, aiming for aesthetic and emotional expression rather than straightforward documentation. Pictorialist photographers often employed techniques that softened the image, such as soft focus, manipulation of the negative or print, and the use of textured papers and printing processes like platinum, gum bichromate, and bromoil.

The movement emerged as a reaction against the perceived rigidity and purely scientific nature of early photography. Photographers sought to imbue their work with a sense of artistry, emphasizing composition, light, and mood. Subject matter often included romantic landscapes, allegorical scenes, portraits, and still lifes, all treated with a painterly sensibility. Key figures associated with Pictorialism include Alfred Stieglitz (in his early career), Edward Steichen, Gertrude Käsebier, Clarence H. White, and Heinrich Kühn.

Pictorialism played a significant role in establishing photography as a legitimate art form. It fostered photographic societies and exhibitions, and its proponents actively debated the artistic merits of the medium. However, by the 1910s and 1920s, the movement began to wane, giving way to new photographic aesthetics like Straight Photography and Modernism, which embraced the inherent qualities of the photographic lens and the clarity of sharp focus.