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There's not a story, per se. Portraits of royal families were common, and Velazquez was Phillip's official court painter. The composition of the painting is unique. Instead of the family standing carefully posed, you have a little girl being entertained by her ladies-in-waiting, her nurse, her dwarves, and even her dog. But from Velasquez' point of view, Princess Margarita is not really the subject of the painting. (He'd be painting the back of her!) Instead, he's painting her parents (reflected in a mirror on the back wall) and she's watching them...which makes it look like she's watching us. Someone on the stairs is also observing. Velasquez included himself, too. The red cross on his chest represents a Royal Order. It hadn't been awarded to him at the time of the painting. He added it in later.

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15y ago

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