pic·to·ri·al·ism I. \pikˈtōrēəˌlizəm\noun (-s) : the use or creation of pictures or visual images < development from his original level of illustration into full pictorialism — Virgil Barker > II. \pikˈtōrēəˌlizəm, -ˈtȯr-\noun (-s) : a movement or technique in photography emphasizing artificial often romanticized pictorial qualities