The Official Spring

Every year, as a part of his function, a member of the Republic of Geneva's government (le Sautier) is in charge of witnessing, on a specific horse chestnut tree located in the old town and known for its precociousness, the apparition of its first leaf, announcing the arrival of spring.

The dates are recorded on a special document accompanied with annotations concerning remarkable historical or unexpected natural contemporary events. The first observation took place in 1808, the first recorded date is the 16th of March 1818.

The work presents the real official leaf of the year 1972