pictorialism
noun
pic·to·ri·al·ism pik-ˈtȯr-ē-ə-ˌli-zəm 
1
: the use or creation of pictures or visual images
2
: a movement or technique in photography emphasizing artificial often romanticized pictorial qualities
pictorialist
pik-ˈtȯr-ē-ə-list
adjective or noun 
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web After about 1910, some Black photographers joined white peers in adopting the techniques of pictorialism, using soft focus, short depth of field and relaxed poses to produce more artistic, expressive images. 
Judith H. Dobrzynski, WSJ, 26 Aug. 2022 Numerous styles are reflected in the book including pictorialism, abstraction and candid street photography from the likes of Henri Cartier-Bresson, André Kertész and Alfred Stieglitz, among others. Jeff Campagna, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Dec. 2021 Her way is short on pomp in her exquisite calligraphic musical pictorialism. Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times, 23 July 2021
Judith H. Dobrzynski, WSJ, 26 Aug. 2022 Numerous styles are reflected in the book including pictorialism, abstraction and candid street photography from the likes of Henri Cartier-Bresson, André Kertész and Alfred Stieglitz, among others. Jeff Campagna, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Dec. 2021 Her way is short on pomp in her exquisite calligraphic musical pictorialism. Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times, 23 July 2021 Word History
First Known Use
1869, in the meaning defined at sense 1