
Citing a painting within a book requires a bit more information than citing a book. The information you will need includes the artist’s last name, first name, the title of the painting, the year of creation, the name of the museum or gallery, the city of the museum or gallery, the name of the book, the author's last name and first name, the publisher, and the page number. If the painting is not in a museum or gallery, you can include the name of the website and the URL instead.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Artist's Last Name | Surname |
| Artist's First Name | First Name |
| Title of Artwork | Title of the Painting |
| Year of Creation | Year |
| Name of Website | Website Name |
| URL | URL |
| Materials Used | Materials |
| Dimensions | Dimensions |
| Name of Museum | Museum or Collection |
| City of Museum | City |
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Artist name format
When citing a painting, it is important to use the artist's full name. The artist's name should be written with their last name first, followed by a comma and then their first name, similar to how an author's name is written in a book citation. For example:
Goya, Francisco.
If the artist's middle name or initial is known, it should be included after their first name, like so:
Goya, Francisco M.
In certain citation styles, such as MLA, the artist's name is followed by the title of the artwork in italics. For instance:
Goya, Francisco. *The Family of Charles IV*.
The title of the artwork may also be presented in sentence case without italics, depending on the citation style. Additionally, if the artwork has no title, a description of the painting can be provided instead.
It is worth noting that some citation styles, like APA, may require the artist's surname followed by their first and middle initials, similar to this format:
Goya, F. M.
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Painting details
When citing a painting within a book, the following details are required:
First, write the artist's name with their last name followed by a comma and then their first name and middle initial or name (if available), just as you would for the author of a book. If no artist is credited, you can start with the title.
Next, provide the title of the painting in italics, followed by a period. Capitalize only the first word and any proper nouns in the title. If there is no title, provide a short description with regular sentence capitalization, e.g., "Untitled portrait of King Henry VIII."
Then, list the year the painting was created, followed by a comma or period. If no date is provided, you can use "n.d."
After this, list the materials used to create the artwork in sentence case, followed by a period. This step is optional and depends on the relevance of the information to your paper.
Next, provide the dimensions of the painting, followed by a period. You can use either metric or imperial measurements, but ensure consistency throughout your paper. This information may not always be available.
Finally, mention the name of the museum or collection where the painting is housed, followed by a comma and the city where the museum is located. If you viewed the painting in a book or online, include the author, title, date of publication, and publication information at the end of your reference list entry.
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Book details
When citing a painting found in a book, the citation is made up of two parts:
Part 1: Citing the painting
- Artist's Last Name, First Name.
- Title of Painting.
- Year of creation.
- Materials and dimensions (optional).
Part 2: Citing the book
- Book Title, by Author's Last Name, First Name.
- Publisher Name, Year of publication, p. number.
> 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.
And here is an example of a book citation in MLA style:
> 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.
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Website details
Citing a website within a book requires you to include all the information necessary for your reader to find the source. The most commonly used citation styles are APA, MLA, and Chicago.
In general, to cite a website, you need a short in-text citation and a corresponding reference stating the author’s name, the date of publication, the title of the page, the website name, and the URL. If there is no date of publication listed, use “n.d.” in place of the date. If the page seems likely to change over time, you can also include an access date. If a DOI is available, cite the DOI number instead of the URL.
Author's Last Name, First Name or Author Name with Surname Unknown (Year). Page title [Format/description if needed]. Site name. URL
For example:
Smith, J. (2022). How to make pizza dough. John's Kitchen. https://www.johnskitchen.com/how-to-make-pizza-dough
Author's Last Name, First Name or Author Name with Surname Unknown. "Page Title." Site Name, Publisher, Publication Date, URL. Date Accessed.
For example:
Smith, J. "How to Make Pizza Dough." John's Kitchen, 2022, https://www.johnskitchen.com/how-to-make-pizza-dough. Accessed 6 Nov. 2024.
If you are citing a specific section of a website, you can include this information in your citation. For example:
Smith, J. "How to Make Pizza Dough: A Step-by-Step Guide." John's Kitchen, 2022, https://www.johnskitchen.com/how-to-make-pizza-dough#step-by-step. Accessed 6 Nov. 2024.
If you are citing an entire website rather than a specific page, your citation will look slightly different. For example:
John's Kitchen. https://www.johnskitchen.com. Accessed 6 Nov. 2024.
It is important to be consistent with your chosen citation style and to follow any guidelines or preferences provided by your publisher, if applicable.
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In-text citations
When citing a painting within a book, the specific format for your citation varies depending on the citation style you use. Three of the most common citation styles are Modern Language Association (MLA), American Psychological Association (APA), and Chicago style.
MLA Style
When citing a painting in the text of your paper using the MLA style, you typically omit parenthetical citations. Instead, directly mention the artist's name, followed by the title of the work in italics. For example: "The vivid hues in Vincent van Gogh's Starry Night captivate viewers." Here, "Starry Night" is italicized as it is the title of the painting.
If you are referencing specific information or quoting a source that discusses the painting, a parenthetical citation is necessary. This citation includes the artist's last name, a shortened version of the painting's title, and the page number where the information can be found. For instance: "(van Gogh, Starry Night, 56)."
APA Style
In APA style, the in-text citation format for a painting is similar to that of other sources. Include the artist's last name, the year of the painting's creation, and optionally, a page number or figure number if relevant. For example: "As observed by art critics (van Gogh, 1889), the painting embodies a unique style."
Chicago Style
The Chicago style for in-text citations varies depending on the type of citation format your paper follows: author-date or notes and bibliography.
- Author-Date: This format combines the artist's last name, year of the painting's creation, and a page or figure number if applicable. For example: "(van Gogh 1889, 56)."
- Notes and Bibliography: This format typically uses footnotes or endnotes. The first note for a source will be a full citation, while subsequent notes will be shortened. For example: "1. Vincent van Gogh, Starry Night, 1889, London, UK: White Lion Publishing, 56." Subsequent notes can be shortened to: "Vincent van Gogh, Starry Night, 58."
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Frequently asked questions
The format is as follows:
- Fig. #
- Artist Name
- (date)
- Title of work
- [medium]
- Location of artwork
- City, state/country
For example:
- Fig. 4
- Francisco de Goya
- (1820-1823)
- Saturn Devouring One of his Sons
- [mural painting transferred to canvas]
- Museo del Prado
- Madrid, Spain
The format is as follows:
- Artist's last name, first name
- Title of work: subtitle if any
- Year, location of work
- Book title, by author's last name, first name
- Publisher name, year of publication, p. number
For example:
- Goya, Francisco
- The Family of Charles IV
- 1800, Museo del Prado, Madrid
- Gardener's Art Through the Ages, by Richard G. Tansey and Fred S. Kleiner
- Harcourt Brace, 10th ed., p. 939
Begin with the word "In," then list the information you would normally include in a Chicago entry for the book or periodical where the painting was reproduced. End your citation with a period.
For example:
- In Bailey, Martin. Starry Night: Van Gogh at the Asylum. London, UK: White Lion Publishing, 2018.
It depends on the style you are using. For MLA and Chicago styles, the materials used are included in the citation if they are important or relevant to your paper. For APA style, the medium is always included in square brackets.











































