The oil painting titled The Three Stages of Man by Alphonse Lane, catalogued as painting #407 on the website alphonseLane.com, is a deeply symbolic and surrealist work that explores the cyclical journey of human life through its three principal stages: youth, middle age, and old age. The composition is visually and conceptually divided, with three male figures representing different phases of existence. The youthful figure, dressed in vibrant blue, walks forward with purpose, casting a long green shadow—perhaps symbolizing potential and growth. The central figure, representing middle age, stands in contemplation, his posture suggesting hesitation or reflection, as he casts a similarly elongated shadow. To the right, the elder figure, placed near blooming yet abstract flowers, appears pensive, with a more introspective expression. The surreal backdrop—a weeping eye in the sky, a bare tree, and a glowing sun with stylized clouds—amplifies the emotional weight of the painting, underscoring themes of memory, mortality, and transformation. The inscription on the ground, “The Third Trinity of Man: Youth, Middleage, Oldhood,” roots the painting in a conceptual framework that merges existential reflection with Lane’s distinctive, dreamlike visual language.