Standing in front of 'Las Meninas' in the hall of the Prado Museum, one is immediately struck by the monumentality of the canvas - the painting measures an impressive 318 cm × 276 cm. This space allowed Velázquez to create an extremely complex composition, which is one of the most fascinating aspects of this work. The painting is built with seven layers of depth, a true masterpiece of painterly perspective of the time.

The first, shallowest layer is a section of the painting canvas protruding from the left. The second layer is the figure of Velázquez himself, who has placed himself in the painting as the painter at the easel. The third layer is the main group of figures - the central Infanta Margaret Theresa (the five-year-old daughter of King Philip IV) along with the ladies of the court, dwarfs and a dog. The fourth layer is the room space, and the fifth is the figure in the doorway in the background. The sixth layer is a mirror reflecting the silhouettes of the king and queen, and the seventh is the space outside the painting, where both the royal couple and we, the viewers, theoretically stand.

This multi-layered structure creates a 'picture-in-picture' effect, where the boundaries between reality and representation blur. Velázquez ingeniously manipulates perspective, creating the illusion of depth and spatiality. Particularly intriguing is the way the artist organizes the composition with curved and diagonal lines that guide the viewer's eye to the most important elements of the painting.

The central figure is Infanta Margaret Theresa, who exudes royal dignity despite her young age. Her bright dress and illuminated face create a natural focal point for the eye. Surrounding her is a frozen scene of court life - the ladies of the court (the 'meninas' of the title) prepare to serve a drink to the Infanta, dwarfs (including one teasing a dog) introduce an element of everyday life and humor, and other characters, including a mysterious man standing in the doorway, may be seen in the background.

The painting is striking for its realism and impression of 'momentousness' - As if Velázquez had captured a random moment in the life of the court. The Infanta turns her head as if someone has just called out to her, the dwarf nudges a slumbering dog with his foot, and the painter himself pauses to look at someone outside the frame. This stopped action gives the painting a remarkable dynamism and vitality, despite the seemingly static composition.

The masterful handling of light is another element that sets 'Las Meninas' apart. The light coming through the windows on the right models the figures and space, creating a subtle play of shadows and highlights. Velázquez uses light not only as an element that builds the realism of the representation, but also as a tool to hierarchize the figures - the brightest parts of the painting are the infanta's face and the figure of the painter himself, which emphasizes their importance in the composition.

The painting technique used in 'Las Meninas' is as fascinating as the composition itself. Technical research conducted in 1981 revealed that Velázquez mainly used pigments such as lead white, azurite, cinnabar, red lacquer, ochres and charcoal blacks. However, it is not so much the choice of materials, but the way in which they are used that accounts for the artist's genius.

Velázquez painted directly on canvas, using thick brushstrokes and often changing his work as he painted - a technique known as 'pentimento'. Up close, you can see the abstractness of his brushstrokes, which, from the right distance, arrange themselves into an extremely realistic representation. This duality - abstraction up close, realism from afar - is one of the most intriguing aspects of his workshop.

Particularly interesting is the way Velázquez painted faces - with a few sure brushstrokes he was able to capture not only the likeness, but also the character of the figures. The face of Infanta Margaret Theresa is painted with more precision and delicacy than the other figures, emphasizing her royal dignity. The faces of the ladies of the court and the dwarfs, on the other hand, are painted more sketchily, which paradoxically gives them more vitality and naturalness.

One of the most mysterious elements of the painting is the mirror visible in the background, which reflects the silhouettes of King Philip IV and Queen Marianne. It is the key to understanding Velázquez's complex game between reality and illusion. The mirror suggests that the royal couple is standing exactly in the place of the viewer looking at the painting, which creates an intriguing perceptual loop - we look at the painting from the perspective of the king and queen, while simultaneously seeing their reflection in the mirror.

This play with space and point of view has profound philosophical implications. Velázquez challenges the traditional relationship between artist, model and viewer, creating a multi-layered reflection on the nature of representation and perception. The painting becomes a metaphor for the very act of seeing and creating art, making it one of the first meta-artistic works in the history of European painting.

The symbolism of 'Las Meninas' goes far beyond the scene depicted. By painting himself at work on a huge canvas (which we can't see because it's turned back to the viewer), Velázquez emphasizes the importance of painting as an intellectual art, not just a craft. At a time when painters were still struggling to have their profession recognized as a liberated (rather than mechanical) art, this was an important artistic manifesto.

The cross of the Order of Santiago visible on Velázquez's chest in the painting has a special history - according to legend, it was added after the artist's death, at the behest of King Philip IV. Velázquez spent years trying to gain admission to this prestigious order of knighthood, which he finally succeeded in 1659, three years after painting 'Las Meninas'. This small detail shows how important the social recognition and ennoblement of his art was to the artist.

Since its creation, 'Las Meninas' has become the subject of countless interpretations, analyses and inspirations. The painting fascinated not only art historians, but also philosophers, writers and other artists who saw in it more than just a masterfully painted court scene.

One of the most influential interpretations of 'Las Meninas' was provided by French philosopher Michel Foucault in his work 'Words and Things' (1966). Foucault analyzes the painting as a study of representation, pointing to a complex web of gazes and points of view that challenges the traditional understanding of the relationship between reality and its representation. According to Foucault, 'Las Meninas' is a work that makes us realize that any representation is always incomplete and dependent on perspective.

Other scholars draw attention to the political dimension of the painting. By painting himself in the company of members of the royal family, Velázquez emphasizes his privileged position at the court of Philip IV. As court painter (and later court marshal), he enjoyed exceptional status and the trust of the monarch. 'Las Meninas' can therefore also be read as a subtle manifestation of the artist's prestige and his close relationship with the ruler.

The influence of 'Las Meninas' on later artists cannot be overestimated. Pablo Picasso was so fascinated by the work that he created a series of 58 paintings inspired by Velázquez's composition, deconstructing it in his Cubist style. Salvador Dalí, Francisco Goya and, in Poland, even Wojciech Fangor are just some of the artists who have referred to this masterpiece in their work.

Today, 'Las Meninas' remains one of the highlights of the Prado Museum. The painting has a dedicated room where it can be admired in the right lighting and from different perspectives. For the full experience, it is advisable to first view the work from afar to appreciate the overall composition, and then get closer to see the masterful brushstrokes and details that, from a distance, merge into a realistic representation.

The Prado Museum also offers special educational programs dedicated to 'Las Meninas,' including lectures, workshops and multimedia materials to help understand the complexity of this masterpiece. Take advantage of the audio guide or join a guided tour to learn all the nuances and contexts of the painting.

Art lovers will also find it interesting to compare 'Las Meninas' with other works by Velázquez collected at the Prado. The museum has the world's largest collection of the artist's works, which makes it possible to trace the evolution of his style and technique. Particularly interesting is the juxtaposition of 'Las Meninas' with earlier portraits of members of the royal family, which shows how Velázquez gradually moved away from formalism toward a more free, personal style.

When visiting the Prado Museum and standing in front of 'Las Meninas', it is worth remembering that we are interacting with a work that has continued to amaze and inspire for more than three and a half centuries. It is not only a masterpiece of Baroque painting, but also a philosophical puzzle that forces us to reflect on the nature of art, reality and perception. In a world where paintings surround us from everywhere, 'Las Meninas' reminds us that a true masterpiece can stop time and make us take a deeper look not only at the scene depicted, but also at ourselves as viewers and participants in this visual experience.