You may want to use painting as a source of information in your research article, especially if you are writing an article in art history or a related field. To cite a painting, you need more information than when you cite a regular text source. Usually, you'll also need to include the current location of the work, its dimensions, and the material or medium. The specific format of the citation entry will depend on the citation style used. The three most commonly used citation styles are the Modern Language Association (MLA), the American Psychological Association (APA), and the Chicago style.
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Method 1 of 3: In MLA Quote Style
Step 1. Name the artist first
For bibliography entries or works cited, the artist is considered the “author” of the painting. Type in the artist's last name first, followed by a comma. After that, enter the artist's first name. Include a middle name or initial if any after the first name. Place a period at the end of the name.
- For example: Goya, Francisco.
- If the artist's name is not mentioned, start the entry with the title of the painting. If the artist is mentioned as “anonymous”, use the words “Anonymous” or “Anonymous” as the artist's name.
Step 2. Type the title of the painting in italic text
Use the title-case format (capital letters as the first letter of all nouns, pronouns, verbs, and adverbs) when typing titles. If the painting does not have a title, enter a short description of the painting (without italics). Use a sentence-case format (capital letters as the first letter of the first word and only your own name) in the description. Insert a period at the end of the title or description.
- Examples of works with the title: Goya, Francisco. The Family of Charles IV.
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Examples of untitled work: Rauschenberg, Robert. Glossy black painting.
For Indonesian: Rauschenberg, Robert. Shiny black painting
Example of a Short Description
Goya, Francisco. Untitled portrait of the Duchess of Alba.
Nicholson, Ben. White relief painting.
Basquiat, Jean-Michel. Black skull on blue background.
For Indonesian
Goya, Francisco. Painting of the Duchess of Alba, untitled.
Nicholson, Ben. White relief painting.
Basquiat, Jean-Michel. Black skull on blue background.
Step 3. Enter the date of the composition and the location where the painting was saved
Type the year the painting was made, followed by a comma. State the name of the museum or collection that holds the painting. If the location of the museum or collection is not mentioned in the name, type a comma and state the location. Add a dot at the end of the location.
For example: Goya, Francisco. The Family of Charles IV. 1800, Museo del Prado, Madrid
MLA Style Reference List Entry/Works Cited Entry Format
Artist's last name, First name. Painting Title. Year, Museum or Collection, City.
Step 4. Name a book or website that features the painting
If your source is a photographic reproduction of a painting and is featured in a book or website, include the book or website information at the end of the citation entry.
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Book examples: Goya, Francisco. The Family of Charles IV. 1800, Museo del Prado, Madrid. Gardener's Art Through the Ages, 10th ed., by Richard G. Tansey and Fred S. Kleiner, Harcourt Brace, p. 939.
For Indonesian: Goya, Francisco. The Family of Charles IV. 1800, Museo del Prado, Madrid. Gardener's Art Through the Ages, 10th ed. by Richard G. Tansey and Fred S. Kleiner, Harcourt Brace, p. 939
- Examples of websites: Goya, Francisco. The Family of Charles IV. 1800, Museo del Prado, Madrid. WikiArt Visual Art Encyclopedia, www.wikiart.org/en/francisco-goya/charles-iv-of-spain-and-his-family-1800.
- If you access the painting on the museum's website, delete the name and location of the museum. Use the website name and URL. Place a period after the year because the year information refers to the date of creation of the painting, not the date of publication of the photo of the painting on the website. For example: Goya, Francisco, The Family of Charles IV. 1800. Museo del Prado, www.museodelprado.es/en/the-collection/art-work/the-family-of-carlos-iv/.
- Include media and painting materials at the end of the entry if this information is important or relevant to your writing. Otherwise, this information is not required in the MLA style bibliography entry.
Step 5. Mention the name of the artist and his work in your writing
The MLA citation style does not require in-text citations (in brackets) for paintings. Instead, state the name of the artist, followed by the title of the work in italics.
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For example: "One of Francisco Goya's subjects in The Family of Charles IV has her head turned away. Scholars believe this was a member of the family who was not present on the day the portrait was painted."
For Indonesian: “One of the subjects in Francisco Goya's painting The Family of Charles IV looks away. Scholars believe that the subject was a family member who was not present when the family portrait was painted.”
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If the article doesn't have a title, use a short description of the painting along with the artist's name. For example, you might write: "The Duchess of Alba was widely considered to be Francisco Goya's muse, as his many untitled portraits of her suggest."
For Indonesian: “The Duchess of Alba is considered a source of inspiration for Francisco Goya because many of his portraits reflect this.”
Method 2 of 3: In WHAT Citation Style
Step 1. Begin the entry with the artist's name and the year the painting was created
Type in the artist's last name, followed by a comma. After that, add the initials of the artist's first name and the initials of his middle name (if any). Type the year the painting was made in parentheses. Place the period outside the closing parenthesis.
- For example: Pratt, C. (1965).
- If the name of the painter/artist is unknown, start the reference list entry with the title of the work. However, if the artist's name is stated as “anonymous”, use the words “Anonymous” or “Anonymous” as the painter's name.
- If the date is unknown, use the abbreviation "n.d." in brackets.
Step 2. State the title of the painting and a description of the material used
Type the title of the painting in italic text. Use a sentence-case format (capital letters as the first letter of the first word and only your own name) for the title. In square brackets, state the material or medium of the painting. Also use the sentence-case format for the description. Place a period at the end of the closing parenthesis.
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For example: Pratt, C. (1965). Young girl with seashells [Oil on board].
For Indonesian: Pratt, C. (1965). Young girl with seashells [Oil paint and boards]
- If the painting has no title, use the phrase “Untitled” or “Untitled”. Since the phrase or word is not the title of the painting, you don't need to type it in italics.
Step 3. Enter the location of the painting
Type in the name of the museum, institution, or collection that houses the painting. Add a comma, then type the name of the box and continue with the comma. If the institution is in the United States or Canada, add state or province abbreviations. For other countries or regions, just add the country name. Place a period at the end of the quote entry.
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For example: Pratt, C. (1965). Young girl with seashells [Oil on board]. Memorial University Art Gallery Permanent Collection, Corner Brook, NL.
For Indonesian: Pratt, C. (1965). Young girl with seashells [Oil paint and boards]. Memorial University Art Gallery Permanent Collection, Corner Brook, NL
APA Style Reference List Entry Format
Artist's last name, First name initials. (Year). Title of painting [Description of material/media]. Museum or Collection, City, state/province abbreviation or country name.
Step 4. Add source information to cite the reproduction of the painting
If you accessed the painting in a book or the internet, instead of viewing it in person, include the author's name, title, date of publication, and publication information at the end of the reference list entry. Follow the same format as when you cite a web page or article in a book.
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Book example: Jacque, H. (2010). Labrador black duck [Clay tile]. Lawrence O'Brien Auditorium, Goose Bay, NL. In D. Brown, Uncommon clay: The labradoria mural (p. 18). St John's, NL: Creative Publishing. (Original work 2009).
For Indonesian: Jacque, H. (2010). Labrador black duck [clay plate]. Lawrence O'Brien Auditorium, Goose Bay, NL. In D. Brown, Uncommon clay: The labradoria mural (p. 18). St John's, NL: Creative Publishing. (Original work 2009)
- Web site example: Shepherd, H. P. (1962). Sunday morning [Oil]. Collection of Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL. The rooms (n.d.). Retrieved from:
For Indonesian: Shepherd, H. P. (1962). Sunday morning [Oil]. Collection from Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL. The rooms (n.d.). Accessed from:
Step 5. Include the year the painting was made in parentheses after the title of the painting
Use the artist's name and the title of the painting in your writing. Type the title in italic text. Use the title-case format (capital letters as the first letter of the first word, and all nouns, pronouns, verbs, and adverbs) for titles. After the title of the painting is added to the text, type the year the painting was made in parentheses.
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For example: "Christopher Pratt's painting Young Girl with Seashells (1965) offers a glimpse of classic Newfoundland heritage."
For English: "Christopher Pratt's painting Young Girl with Seashells (1965) offers an overview of Newfoundland's classic heritage."
Method 3 of 3: In Chicago Quote Style
Step 1. Mention the name of the artist first in the bibliography entry
The Chicago style of citation considers the name of the artist (or painter) to be the “author” of the painting. Type in the artist's last name, followed by a comma. After that, add the artist's first name, followed by a period.
- For example: Gogh, Vincent van.
- If the artist's name is unknown, simply leave this element blank in the quote entry. If the artist's name is stated as “anonymous”, use the words “Anonymous” or “Anonymous” as the artist's name.
Step 2. Enter the title of the painting
Type a space after the period at the end of the author's name, then enter the title of the painting in italics. Use the title-case format (capital letters as the first letter of all nouns, pronouns, verbs, and adverbs). Insert a period at the end of the title.
- For example: Gogh, Vincent van. The Starry Night.
- If the painting doesn't have a title, move on to the next element in the quote entry. Chicago style doesn't require you to write a description in place of the title or use the phrase “Untitled” (or “Untitled”). However, if you're adding a description or using a replacement phrase, type the information in plain text (not italics) format. Otherwise, the information can be treated as a title.
Step 3. State the date of creation of the painting
After the title, type in the year the painting was made. If you don't find this information, use the abbreviation "n.d." (no date) or move on to the next element of the quote entry. Place a dot at the end of the year.
For example: Gogh, Vincent van. The Starry Night. 1889
Step 4. Add information about the material and dimensions of the work
After the year, provide a description of the material used to make the painting. Use a sentence-case format (capital letters as the first letter of the first word and only your own name). Add a dot after the description, then state the dimensions of the painting. Use standard abbreviations for units of measure. Add a dot after the dimension, unless the unit abbreviation already has a dot.
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For example: Gogh, Vincent van. The Starry Night. 1889. Oil on canvas. 29 in. x 36.25 in.
For Indonesian: Gogh, Vincent van. The Starry Night. 1889. Oil and canvas. 73cm x 92cm
- As with any other element, if this information is not available, you can leave it blank. You do not need to mention separately that the information is unknown or unavailable.
- The Chicago Manual of Style does not emphasize the use of any particular system of units (eg metric or imperial). Just choose one of the systems and use it consistently in other posts and quotes.
Step 5. Include the name and location of the museum or collection that houses the painting
After dimensions, type in the name of the museum, collection, or institution that houses the painting. Insert a comma, then type the name of the city where the museum, collection, or institution is located. Place a period at the end of the city name.
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Example: Gogh, Vincent van. The Starry Night. 1889. Oil on canvas. 29 in. x 36.25 in. Museum of Modern Art, New York.
For Indonesian: Gogh, Vincent van. The Starry Night. 1889. Oil and canvas. 73cm x 92cm. Museum of Modern Art, New York
Step 6. End the entry with the URL and access date if you accessed the painting from the internet
For paintings viewed or accessed from the internet (eg museum websites), state the full direct URL of the painting. Place a comma after the URL, then type in the word “accessed” or the phrase “accessed on”. State the date of the visit to the URL in date-month-year format.
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For example: Gogh, Vincent van. The Starry Night. 1889. Oil on canvas. 29 in. x 36.25 in. Museum of Modern Art, New York. https://www.moma.org/learn/moma_learning/vincent-van-gogh-the-starry-night-1889/, accessed 23 October 2018.
For Indonesian: Gogh, Vincent van. The Starry Night. 1889. Oil and canvas. 73cm x 92cm. Museum of Modern Art, New York. https://www.moma.org/learn/moma_learning/vincent-van-gogh-the-starry-night-1889/, accessed 23 October 2018
Chicago Citation Style Bibliographic Entry Format
Artist's last name, First name. Painting Title. Year. Material description. Dimensions. Museum or Collection, City. URL, accessed by Date-Month-Year.
Step 7. Add a full citation to the source if you see or use a painting featured in print
Delete the media and location information for the print reproduction of the painting. Begin the information with the word “In” or “In”, then state the information you would normally include in a Chicago citation-style entry for a book or periodical containing a painting. End the quote entry with a period.
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Book examples: Gogh, Vincent van. The Starry Night. 1889. In Bailey, Martin. Starry Night: Van Gogh at the Asylum. London, UK: White Lion Publishing, 2018.
For Indonesian: Gogh, Vincent van. The Starry Night. 1889. In Bailey, Martin. Starry Night: Van Gogh at the Asylum. London, UK: White Lion Publishing, 2018
Step 8. Replace periods with commas for footnotes in writing
Reverse the order of the artist's names so that the first name is written first. Include the same information as in the bibliography entry, but separate each element with a comma instead of a period. The only point in the footnote is at the end of the note.
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Example in text: There is a message of hope in the swirling colors and light of Vincent van Gogh's famous painting The Starry Night.1"
For Indonesian: “There is a message of hope in the colors and light that surrounds Vincent van Gogh's famous painting The Starry Night.1"
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Example footnotes for website resources: 1. Vincent van Gogh, The Starry Night, 1889, oil on canvas, 29 in. x 36.25 in., Museum of Modern Art, New York, https://www.moma.org/learn/moma_learning/vincent-van-gogh-the-starry-night-1889/, accessed 23 October 2018.
For Indonesian: 1. Vincent van Gogh, The Starry Night, 1889, oil and canvas, 73 cm x 92 cm, Museum of Modern Art, New York, https://www.moma.org/learn/moma_learning/vincent- van-gogh-the-starry-night-1889/, accessed 23 October 2018
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Example footnotes for book sources: 1. Vincent van Gogh, The Starry Night, 1889, in Martin Bailey, Starry Night: Van Gogh at the Asylum (London, UK: White Lion Publishing, 2018), Figure 49.
For Indonesian: 1. Vincent van Gogh, The Starry Night, 1889, in Martin Bailey, Starry Night: Van Gogh at the Asylum (London, UK: White Lion Publishing, 2018), Figure 49
