Old man, Old Tree (Vieil homme, vieil arbre) 

Alphonse Legros etched this work, "Old Man, Old Tree," a profound reflection on aging and nature. Here, the old man, hunched and contemplative, mirrors the ancient tree behind him, its gnarled branches reaching skyward. Consider the tree: throughout art history, it has been a symbol of life, knowledge, and the interconnectedness of all things. Yet, here, in its winter aspect, it speaks more of endurance and resilience. We see echoes of the Tree of Life in ancient mythologies, but stripped bare, it reflects the man's own stark reality. The image evokes a deep, subconscious resonance—a shared understanding of mortality and the cyclical nature of existence. Like the seasons, life progresses, and symbols like the tree evolve. It is a visual echo, a reminder of the past shaping our present, and our shared human journey towards the inevitable.