An A-Z List of Pictorialist Photographers

This is an A-Z List of Pictorialist Photographers, written to support the article When Photos Looked Like Paintings – Pictorialism on this site. It’s worth noting that some of the photographers listed here rejected pictorialism later in their careers and wouldn’t care to be remembered that way, but that is all part of the story of the development of photography.

Anne Brigman (1869-1950): Often featured female nudes in landscapes, merging symbolism with natural forms.
Alice Boughton (1866-1943): Best known for her photographs of literary and theatrical figures of her time and a Fellow of the Photo-Secession.
Julia Margaret Cameron (1815-1879): Pioneer of soft-focus portraits and allegorical studies.
Alvin Langdon Coburn (1882-1966): Innovator in photographic techniques and visionary in abstract photography.
Imogen Cunningham (1883-1976): Initially engaged with Pictorialism, her work evolved to include botanical photography, nudes, and industrial landscapes.
F. Holland Day (1864-1933): An influential figure who used religious and allegorical subjects to elevate photography as a fine art, similar in approach to painting.
George Davison (1854–1930): One of the founding members of the Linked Ring and experimented with pinhole photography and other techniques to create impressionistic images.
Robert Demachy (1859-1936): Known for his gum bichromate prints and influential writings on Pictorialism.
Mary Devens (1857-1920) : known for her mastery of complex printing techniques and listed by Alfred Stieglitz as one of the ten most prominent Pictorialists in Century Magazine.
Peter Henry Emerson (1856-1936): Advocated for naturalistic photography inspired by the English landscape.
Frederick H. Evans (1853-1943): Noted for his architectural and landscape photographs, particularly of cathedrals.
Frank Eugene (1865-1936): Known for his artistic manipulation of photographic negatives, blending drawing and photography.
Adolf Fassbender (1884-1980): A 20th-century photographer who continued to make pictorial photographs well into the 1960s, who believed that pictorialism is eternal because it is based upon beauty first.
Paul Burty Haviland (1880-1950): A French-American photographer, writer and arts critic closely associated with Alfred Stieglitz and the Photo-Secession.
Gertrude Käsebier (1852-1934): Recognized for her portraits and images depicting motherhood.
Joseph Turner Keiley (1869-1914): A close associate of Alfred Stieglitz and one of the founding members of the Photo-Secession.
Heinrich Kühn (1866-1944): known for his contributions to the art of photography through his experimental techniques and his ability to blend photography with painting, creating images that emphasized mood and texture.
Adelaide Marquand Hanscom Leeson: (1876-1932): A major figure among West Coast photo-secessionists who heavily manipulated her glass plates to affect a Pictorialist style.
Adolf de Meyer (1868-1946): Celebrated for his elegant and stylized fashion photographs, bringing a unique aristocratic sensibility to Pictorialism.
Leonard Misonne (1870-1943): A Belgian photographer who excelled in atmospheric landscapes, emphasizing light and shadow.
William Mortensen (1897-1965): One the last of the Pictorialist photographers who focused on the gothic and grotesque.
Emily H. Pitchford (1878–1956) An American Pictorialist who shared a studio with Adelaide Hanscom Leeson and later with other women Pictorialists.
Émile Joachim Constant Puyo (1857-1933): A French Pictorialist who focused on soft focus and atmospheric effects, contributing significantly to the movement’s theory and practice.
Henry Peach Robinson (1830-1901): Early proponent, known for his staged scenes and combination printing.
Paul Strand (1890-1976): His work transitioned from Pictorialism to a more modernist approach.
Alfred Stieglitz (1864-1946): A key figure in promoting photography as an art form, and founder of the Photo-Secession.
Edward Steichen (1879-1973): His work spanned fashion, portrait, and the application of color processes.
Sarah Choate Sears (1858–1935): an American art collector, art patron, cultural entrepreneur, artist and photographer best known for her photographs included in the April 1907 edition of Camera Work.
Karl Struss (1886-1981): An innovator in photographic techniques and cinematography, blending Pictorialist aesthetics with early film.
Eva Watson-Schütze (1867-1935): One of the founding members of the Photo-Secession, who believed in a new era where women would fly into photography.
Edward Weston (1886-1958): Initially associated with Pictorialism before moving towards a sharper, more detailed style.
Clarence H. White (1871-1925): A master of light and composition, White’s work often explored domestic life and the human figure.

Further Reading