Travelers among Mountains and Streams is comprised of several design elements. Form, leading lines, and shape. These design elements move the eye throughout the painting in a continuous interaction between the elements. Each section is well balanced and rich in content. The large mountain in the foreground sets the foundation for the painting by serving as a barrier, keeping the viewers eyes from leaving the page. The area showing the travelers moving in the stream sets a sense of motion, engaging the eye to travel through the painting. The grand scale of all the elements inspire the viewer to be transported into the realm of fantasy promoted by Northern Song painters. The painting takes on a naturalistic feel that is derived from the combination of paint, ink, and silk. The people and mules moving through the stream bring a sense of scale to the painting. They are an important element in that they are in direct comparison to the large Mountain. The helps promote the idea that there is something bigger than all of of us and that humans are somehow spiritually connected to the earth. An important idea that Northern Song Artist aspired to communicate through ere work. The painting is done in a realistic approach yet is not set in a specific place further enhancing the dream like quality meant to promote spiritual communication and enlightenment. This interpretation is about the balance between the countryside and mans attempt to conquer it brought to life in the form of a painting by Fan Kuan. In the painting the small humans are engulfed by the enormous mountains giving the effect of unattainability, yet the human spirit to conquering the elements arises out of the need explore. The human and animals traveling through the stream give the
viewer the idea that he or she could potentially embark on such a journey themselves. The uncertainty of destination gives the travelers a heroic appeal. The vantage point gives the viewer a sense of a