+Autumn in Chesières, Dents du Midi, sunset. 12.11.2025. 20x26.5 cm.

Autumn in Chesières. Dents du Midi Sunset. 12.11.2025

This original plein-air oil painting was created in Chesières, Switzerland, during an autumn sunset overlooking the distant Dents du Midi mountain range. Painted directly outdoors, the work captures the luminous atmosphere of the Alps at the end of the day, when the final sunlight touches the mountains and transforms the landscape into a composition of glowing colour, depth and silence.

Chesières, located above Villars-sur-Ollon in the canton of Vaud, offers expansive views toward the Alpine peaks of Western Switzerland. Among the most recognizable of these mountains are the Dents du Midi, whose dramatic silhouette often appears on the horizon above layers of forests, valleys and changing clouds. The relationship between distance, atmosphere and light creates a landscape that constantly shifts throughout the seasons. (ceruleanistique.com, ceruleanistique.com)

On this November evening, autumn colours still lingered in the landscape while the setting sun illuminated the mountains with warm tones of gold, rose and violet. As daylight faded, the Dents du Midi emerged between light and shadow, appearing both monumental and fleeting. The atmosphere carried the quiet intensity characteristic of late autumn in the Swiss Alps, when the season stands on the threshold of winter.

Rather than focusing on topographical precision alone, this painting explores the emotional experience of observing distant mountains at sunset. The changing light transformed the landscape from minute to minute, dissolving details and revealing broader harmonies of colour and space.

Created during a single plein-air painting session, this work preserves a specific encounter with alpine light, season and atmosphere. The painting records a fleeting moment when the mountains, sky and autumn landscape briefly aligned in luminous balance before nightfall.

This work belongs to my ongoing series dedicated to the landscapes of Vaud, the Alps and Western Switzerland. Each painting is created from direct observation and reflects a real moment experienced outdoors in nature.

Original plein-air oil painting by Olga Tacan.

Location: Chesières, Villars-sur-Ollon, Vaud, Switzerland
Subject: Dents du Midi mountain range at autumn sunset
Region: Swiss Alps, canton of Vaud
Medium: Oil painting
Date painted: 12 November 2025

Oil on paper

Plain air painting

Size 20 cm x 26.5 cm

Size with passé-partout  35 x 46 cm 

Date: 12 November 2025

Location: Chesières, Vaud, Switzerland