It seemed to me that this might be a great pageant, which would

In the annals of human creativity, there exists a certain moment when the eye of the artist beholds the world with a clarity that surpasses mere observation. The artist’s soul, attuned to the beauty of life, perceives not only what is, but what could be—a vision that transcends the ordinary and rises to the level of grandeur. Henry Ossawa Tanner, in his words, speaks of such a moment. “It seemed to me that this might be a great pageant, which would give a chance for a very interesting picture.” These words are not merely a reflection on art; they are a testament to the profound power of vision—the ability to see the world not as it is, but as it could unfold in the imagination of the artist.

The term pageant in Tanner’s mind speaks to more than just a visual spectacle; it evokes the idea of life itself unfolding in grand, dramatic fashion. A pageant is a celebration of movement, of color, of human experience—an event that embodies the essence of life in its fullness. In Tanner’s case, it was not enough to observe the world passively. He sought to capture its vibrancy, its stories, and its moments of glory, weaving them into something transcendent, something that would live forever in the hearts of those who beheld it. The picture, then, is not merely a static image—it is a dynamic expression of life, a window into the soul of the world.

Tanner’s insight reminds us that art is not simply the act of reproduction, but of interpretation. The artist looks beyond the surface, past the mundane to find the extraordinary. He is not content with simply reflecting reality; he seeks to infuse it with deeper meaning. Like the ancient storytellers who wove tales of gods and heroes, Tanner's picture was not a simple depiction of life—it was a reimagining of it. In the grand tradition of artists throughout history, he saw in the world an opportunity to elevate the everyday into something divine, something worth celebrating in a pageant of life’s rich textures.

This powerful idea is not foreign to the world’s great creators. The famed Michelangelo, who transformed cold marble into lifelike forms, was driven by a similar desire to see not only the block of stone before him, but the vision within it. He spoke of the moment when he could see the figure trapped inside the marble, waiting to be released. Tanner’s pageant, like Michelangelo’s marble, sought to give form to the formless, to release the hidden beauty in the everyday. Through the lens of the artist’s vision, even the most ordinary scene can become extraordinary, as if viewed through the eyes of a divine creator.

Tanner’s ability to transform the mundane into the majestic is reflected in his works, which often depicted scenes of great spiritual and emotional depth. His painting of biblical stories, such as The Annunciation or The Banjo Lesson, infused these moments with profound humanity. The ordinary figures in these scenes, from the humble African-American subjects of his work to the divine angels of his religious paintings, are imbued with a timeless dignity and grace. Tanner, much like the great poets and musicians of old, sought to create something that could elevate the human spirit, a picture that would speak to the soul for generations to come.

In our own lives, we too are artists. Whether we wield the brush of the painter or the words of the poet, we are called to interpret the world around us, to see not just what is before us, but what it could become through our unique vision. Just as Tanner saw a pageant in the ordinary world, so too can we find beauty, drama, and meaning in our own lives. The lessons of Tanner’s words are clear: do not simply observe life; engage with it, reimagine it, and create something that reflects the grandeur and depth of human experience. There is a picture to be made in every moment, a pageant to be lived.

So, take heed of Tanner’s wisdom. Look at the world around you with the eyes of an artist, seeking out the extraordinary in the mundane. Whether through your work, your relationships, or your quiet moments of reflection, strive to create a picture that captures the beauty and complexity of existence. The pageant of life is unfolding before you—do not let it pass unnoticed. Take up the brush, the pen, or the voice, and make something that will resonate beyond the moment, something that will echo through time like the great works of those who came before. Create, and in doing so, you will offer the world a glimpse of its own profound beauty.