How to Cite Art (Paintings, Sculptures & Visual Works)

Artworks are primary sources for art history, cultural studies, and visual analysis. But they cite differently than texts—you're referencing physical objects or their reproductions. Here's how to handle art citations properly.

The Core Elements

Art citations typically include the artist's name, the title of the work (in italics), the date of creation, the medium (oil on canvas, bronze, photograph, etc.), dimensions (optional but common in art history), and the current location (museum/collection and city).

Viewing Context Matters

How you accessed the artwork affects your citation:

• Viewed in person at a museum or gallery—cite the artwork itself.
• Viewed in a book or exhibition catalog—cite the reproduction in that publication.
• Viewed online at a museum website or database—cite the online source.

For serious art historical analysis, viewing the original is often expected. Always indicate how you encountered the work.

Quick Reference by Major Style

MLA (9th Edition) is common for art history:

Example:

Chicago (Notes-Bibliography):

Note:

Bibliography:

APA (7th Edition):

Example:

Artworks in Books or Catalogs

When you accessed the image in a publication:

MLA:

Chicago:

Always include the original artwork information plus the publication where you found it.

Online Museum Collections

Many museums have online collections with stable URLs:

If the museum provides a recommended citation format, use it.

Unknown Artist or Untitled Works

Unknown artist:

Or:

Untitled works:

Or if "Untitled" is the actual title:

Multiple Works by Same Artist

When discussing several works, cite each individually or describe your approach in your text:

For formal art historical papers, each work discussed usually gets its own citation.

Sculptures and Three-Dimensional Work

Same format as paintings, but medium matters more:

Note if you're citing a specific cast (bronze sculptures often exist in multiple authorized copies):

Photographs as Art

Photographs cite similarly:

For contemporary photography, note if it's a limited edition and which print number if relevant.

Performance Art and Installations

For ephemeral or site-specific works:

Note the medium as "performance," "installation," "video installation," etc.

Figures and Illustrations in Your Paper

When including artwork as a figure in your paper, the caption includes citation information:

Check your style guide for specific figure caption requirements.

The exact formatting for art citations depends on your required citation style. Check the specific guide for your discipline below.