The New Pictorialism

In the 19th century, photographers struggled to be seen as artists, and not merely technicians. The Pictorialists wanted to make photography an art form, and they went far beyond mere technical capture of a subject. They wanted to make objects of art that were beautiful and expressed personal emotion. To this end, they heavily modified their images. Pictorialist photographers were more interested in art and aesthetics than subject matter. Pictorialists aimed for emotional impact, rich and delicate images, and poetic interpretations. It also took a lot from the styles of painting in its day, particularly Romanticism and Impressionism. Pictorialism often has a spiritual quality, where the photographer listens to the "still, small, voice". Pictorialism faded with the advent of Photographic Modernism, which was inspired by photographic technology itself. In the 21st century, a New Pictorialism, fueled by the power of image editing tools, is becoming increasingly important.