Las Meninas

Diego Velázquez’s *Las Meninas*, painted in 1656, is a masterpiece that continues to challenge perceptions of reality and illusion. This oil on canvas, measuring 318 cm x 276 cm, draws viewers into a complex scene within the Royal Alcázar of Madrid. The painting famously depicts the Infanta Margaret Theresa alongside her maids of honor, dwarfs, and other court figures, with Velázquez himself at his easel. A mirror in the background reflects King Philip IV and Queen Mariana, implying their presence in the viewer's space and creating an uncertain relationship between the observer and the observed. Luca Giordano, an Italian Baroque painter, described *Las Meninas* as the "theology of painting," and it remains one of the most widely analyzed works in Western art. It is permanently housed in Room 12 of the Villanueva building at the Museo del Prado in Madrid.