"Dancing with Athena"

 The self-taught man has hooked his glasses into his jacket's breast pocket and is teaching himself to dance from a book in the Couper Institute. He is, therefore, dancing with Athena, the goddess of wisdom and learning. She is in the shape of the owl. Everything is frozen in time and, although there are many strong diagonals, there is an element of stillness which is created by the pyramidical composition. The picture is about his obvious concentration which has conjured up the empty library, the moonbeams, and the dancing partner...