How did Pictorialism try to establish photography as a fine art?

Pictorialism sought to establish photography as a fine art by emphasizing aesthetic expression, beauty, and personal interpretation over the mere documentation of reality. To achieve this, photographers employed several key strategies:1

• Emulating Traditional Art: Photographers produced images that mimicked the mood, manner, and appearance of paintings, etchings, and prints. They drew inspiration from movements like Impressionism and the Barbizon school, focusing on atmospheric effects, tonality, and composition.231
• Manual Manipulation: Practitioners often manipulated negatives and prints to differentiate their work from standard mechanical reproductions. Techniques included using special printing methods like gum bichromate and gum bromoil, as well as hand-working the negative to achieve specific artistic textures.12
• Artistic Presentation: To further align photography with the fine arts, Pictorialists presented their work with careful attention to detail, using tasteful frames, mats, and personal monograms.1
• Institutional Promotion: Groups such as the Photo-Secession in the United States and the Linked Ring in Great Britain organized exhibitions and published journals like Camera Work to advocate for the medium's artistic legitimacy.123