Very interesting comments about the purpose and setting of the painting.  The brushstrokes from this period are very developed and bold.  The vivid colors within the colors add depth and meaning.  The flowing lines of the pathway are reminiscent of a river, which would support the theory that this is more of an ode to the sense of impending death.  The cypress not only divides the sky from the symbols of old and new, it also divides the land.  On the left is the field, ripe with a crop ready for harvest.  The motion of the travelers is forward and to the right, it is like they are moving forward towards the future, even though behind them is the overwhelming forces of nature and fate.