The Pageant and the Merging of Art and Commerce

The creators of The Pageant held in high regard the idea of their magazine being practical and beautiful in equal measure. The beauty was not only in the art and literature, but in the ornamentation and physical design of the magazine. At the same time, marketing and promotion were integral to their business plan. The two aspects were merged in a way that values both. In their work, Charles Shannon and Gleeson White aimed to guide culture and show what good art is, was, and will be. They paid attention to international and continental aesthetics, and they did not sacrifice artistic quality for marketing. They also guided their readership into the future by allowing them to look at the past, and were a cultural mediator regarding ads. In class, the concept of a masterpiece was explored. If a masterpiece means blending themes, techniques, and fine details, and connecting them to other texts, then The Pageant can be considered a masterpiece of a little magazine. Its artistic content and physical wrapping can be treasured long term by its owners.