Gallery / Billy Eugene Wagner II
Tennis / Mills Genealogy |
Book Illustrations
During a portion of his 1967 – 1969 tenure in New York City with the Watchtower Society,* the researcher worked in its art department on projects related to various publications. He feels the most significant was a series of illustrations for a Bible encyclopedia, Aid to Bible Understanding (Volume A - E, 544 pages, released in 1969). When completed, the encyclopedia was published in a single-volume edition. Note the paper is very fine, so the scanning light penetrated to reveal shadows of print from the reverse sides of the pages. In normal light, the pages are opaque. Below are some selections from his work in this volume. Drawings were done by pen, in india ink on large acetate sheets which were later photoreduced / etched onto curved rotary printing plates. Photographs and other research materials were available, but these renditions were not mere tracings from projections.
*The Society governs the Jehovah's Witnesses movement, |
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Page 218.
Bethany, a village east of Jerusalem on the eastern flank of the Mount of Olives. |
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Page 255.
A Babylonian boundary stone, akin to modern land survey markers. |
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Page 279.
The Gezer Calendar, unearthed in 1908. It probably dates from the 10th century B.C.E., and is the oldest known example of an ancient Hebrew agricultural calendar. |
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Page 293.
Ruins of a synagogue at Capernaum, dating from the Roman occupation. |
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Page 378.
The bema or speakers rostrum at Corinth in Greece, where the city assembly conducted public business. The Acrocorinth, or fortified hilltop religious center, is in the background. It served the same purpose as the Acropolis of Athens. |
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Page 412.
Damascus, Syria, in the early 20th century. |
Page 467, examples of Hebrew garments.
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(Left) Kuttoneth — a white linen robe when worn by
priests, a shorter everyday tunic (Greek, khiton) for others.
(Center) Meil — a sleeveless coat (Greek, stole) worn over a tunic or other garment. (Right) Simlah — a heavier wrap or mantle which could be pulled up over the head in bad weather. When these were submitted to the editorial staff, a note came down: "They're far too muscular." Billy replied, "Of course they're beefy; they're hard-working laborers." The editors accepted that — but, needing to have the last word, told him to add fringes. That was simple to do, although questionable whether laborers either wanted to wear or could afford the frivolity of fringed work-clothes. |
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Page 494.
Pyramid of Khufu on the Giza Plateau west of Cairo.
When this was submitted to the editorial staff, a note came down:
"We see two figures in front; who are they?" |
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Page 524.
The theater at Ephesus, a Greek metropolis in the Roman Province of Asia (western Turkey), as it appeared in the 19th century. It accommodated 25,000 citizens, and has such excellent acoustics that a normal speaking voice can be heard even at the top tier of seats. Ottoman sultans paid no attention to it for centuries, but modern tourism opportunities caused it to be fully excavated, cleared of debris / overgrown vegetation, and partially restored. |