Las Meninas, Velázquez

The central character and protagonist in this stunning life-size portrait is the Infanta Margaret Theresa of Spain (17th century).
This is one of the most studied works in history, with the main source of information today coming from the writings of the treatise writer and painter Antonio Palomino.
This work transcends the boundaries of portraiture and painting, inviting us into a room where the lines between observer and observed blur. The characters, including the kings, reflected in a mirror, seem to interact with us, placing us within the scene. Diego Velázquez portrays himself as part of the court, defending painting as a noble profession. "Las Meninas" captures a moment of courtly life as if in a photographic image, centuries ahead of its peers. Three years later, he would paint a personal portrait of the infanta.