*Yellow trees. October 16, last leaves. 19.5x33.5 cm

Yellow Trees, October 16. Last Leaves.

This original plein-air oil painting was created in Switzerland during the final weeks of autumn, when the landscape stands at the threshold between colour and disappearance. Painted directly outdoors on 16 October, the work captures yellow trees holding onto their last leaves before the arrival of winter.

Autumn in the region of Vaud is marked by a brief period of extraordinary transformation. The vineyards, lakeshores and hillsides surrounding Lac Léman (Lake Geneva) shift into luminous shades of gold, amber and ochre before the colours gradually fade. These moments are especially fleeting, as wind, rain and colder temperatures quickly strip the branches and alter the landscape. (Lavaux UNESCO)

In this painting, the yellow foliage becomes the central source of light within the composition. The remaining leaves seem to glow against the cooler atmosphere of late autumn, creating a contrast between warmth and the approaching stillness of winter. Rather than focusing on botanical detail alone, the work explores the emotional sensation of witnessing a season reach its final stage.

The title Last Leaves refers not only to the physical landscape but also to the fragile beauty of temporary things. The scene preserves a moment suspended between presence and disappearance, where nature appears most luminous precisely because it is about to change.

Created during a single plein-air painting session, this work records a direct encounter with autumn light and seasonal transformation. The changing colours, shifting air and fragile brilliance of the leaves could only be observed for a short time before the landscape entered another cycle.

This painting belongs to my ongoing series dedicated to the landscapes of Switzerland and the changing atmospheres of the seasons. Each work preserves a real moment experienced outdoors and translated into paint through direct observation.

Original plein-air oil painting by Olga Tacan.

Location: Switzerland
Subject: Yellow autumn trees and the last leaves of the season
Season: Autumn landscape
Medium: Oil painting
Date painted: 16 October

Oil on paper

Plain air painting

Size 19 x 33 cm

Size with passé-partout 36x42 cm

Date: 16 October 2025

Location: Lutry, Switzerland