Las Meninas (1656) by Diego Velázquez depicts a moment in the Spanish court where the Infanta Margarita Theresa, her attendants (meninas), and court figures appear in the artist’s studio. Velázquez includes himself at work, while a mirror in the background reflects King Philip IV and Queen Maria Anna, implying their presence outside the painted space and inviting viewers into the scene. The painting’s layered gazes, perspective, and ambiguous narrative blur boundaries between reality and representation, making it both a court portrait and a meditation on seeing and being seen.
verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies.
Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style