Which artist painted Las Meninas in 1656?

Diego Velázquez painted Las Meninas in 1656. The large canvas is one of the defining masterpieces of Spain's Golden Age and presents a seemingly informal scene inside the royal palace in Madrid.

At the center stands the young Infanta Margarita Teresa, attended by two meninas, or ladies-in-waiting. Velázquez appears at the left beside a large canvas, while a mirror at the back reflects King Philip IV and Queen Mariana of Austria. The arrangement makes viewers wonder whether the royal couple, the artist, or the audience occupies the position being observed.

The painting is famous for turning a court portrait into a puzzle about vision, representation, and reality. It was originally known as The Family of Philip IV in some inventories, while the title Las Meninas became established later. Common mix-ups include confusing Velázquez with Francisco Zurbarán or Bartolomé Murillo, other important Spanish painters of the period, neither of whom painted this work.