This photograph, titled "Las Meninas," was taken by Joel-Peter Witkin. It was inspired by "Las Meninas," a painting by the famous Spanish Baroque painter Diego Velazquez. There appears to be other paintings by Velazquez on the wall in background, and other Spanish influence on the right side of the image (sculpture inspired by Pablo Picasso's Guernica). Witkin is trying to maintain the original perspective and setting, and some of the original figures from Velazquez's painting such as the young girl, the dog, the doorway and some of the paintings on the wall, and even the self portrait of Velazquez on the left side of the image. However, some of the figures from the original painting are absent, and Witkin as placed some new figures in his remake of the image. I believe that Witkin is making a commentary on Spanish art in some sort of negative way, because the image appears intentionally damaged, and even some of the figures in the image appear harmed. The dog is lying down, there is a man twisted on the floor, and Velazquez's face is smudged where it should be. There are also signs of modernity by placing a camera in the center of the room as well as some lightbulbs hanging from the ceiling. Yet, Witkin maintains his reference to the Old Masters by imitating this famous painting and inserting old images on the back wall.
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