Hype or reality
I'm looking at a program about Von Braun (on TV, here).
Well, he used Collier's to advertize the space program. It couln't work, but it could attract many into the field. Hype worked.
Bonestell proposed beautiful extra-terrestrial landscapes with lots of sharp cliffs, but Rudaux, years before, knew very well the Moon landscape wasn't as alpine looking.
Bonestell sold his paintings while Rudaux' work only was in a few french publications.
I'd say hype is quite a US enterprise; it can be sold but it also can produce lots of illusions (like the Shuttle's capacities or the Mars related announcements).
Raoul