Observation Post c. 1945

Edward A. Sallenbach created this drawing titled "Observation Post," using dark lines to define the figures and landscape. The eye is drawn to the two soldiers, one kneeling with a radio, the other prone, observing through binoculars. The composition divides the scene into foreground and background, creating a sense of depth and spatial tension. The dense, textured foreground contrasts with the expansive, mountainous backdrop, reflecting the immediate focus of the soldiers and the broader, undefined landscape that they oversee. Notice how Sallenbach's use of line varies, creating detailed textures in the foreground and fades into softer, suggestive strokes in the background. The piece explores the act of observation and communication, emphasizing the distance between the observer and the observed, and the means by which that distance is bridged. The rough sketch aesthetic contributes to the piece's authenticity, yet it also suggests the precariousness of knowledge, and the role of the observer in interpreting their surroundings. "Observation Post" serves as a visual record and a meditation on perception and place.