One of the most celebrated images in the history of Western art, this composition takes its name from the handmaidens of the Infanta Margarita (1651–1673), daughter of Philip IV of Spain, and Mariana of Austria. Velázquez, the painter of the original work, depicts himself next to the handmaidens accompanied by two dwarves in the foreground, one of whom kicks the dog (reputedly a descendant of the Lyme mastiff given to Philip III) out of the way of the entering royal couple.

The much larger original of 1656 is now in the Prado, Madrid, and it would have only been known to the royal family when William Bankes bought this painting, possibly thinking it was a sketch for the larger work by the master Velázquez. However, it was probably painted by his son-in-law and successor as Painter to the Crown.