Final answer:
"Gazing at the Lu Mountain Waterfall" reflects the beauty and power of nature, the artist’s skill in depicting such scenes, and the cultural significance of the landscape.
Step-by-step explanation:
The characteristics of "Gazing at the Lu Mountain Waterfall" can showcase several things including the beauty of nature, the power of water, the artist's skill, and the cultural significance of the scene. Northern Song landscape paintings were inspired by the majestic mountains leading artists to often choose high mountains as the focal point of their works. Famous landscape artists such as Fan Kuan and Li Cheng created pieces that emphasized the majesty of nature, and the idealized beauty it can convey. Their work was grounded in a tradition where the value of ink painting depended not on the realistic depiction of nature, but on a composition that harmoniously combined poetry, calligraphy, and image. Meanwhile, the Classic of Mountains and Seas is an early work that combined geography with mythology and ethnography, hinting at the way different cultures viewed and related to their natural environment, including rivers and mountains.
Jeong Seon's work in his “Complete View of the Mount Geumgang” breaks from the Chinese tradition by painting from direct observation and providing an aerial view of the mountains that captures their distinct jaggedness and crystalline formations. His dedication to the accurate depiction of Korean scenery was revolutionary for his time. Also, his familiarity with the mountains depicted in his paintings came from his personal experience and careful observation.