Citing Art: Apa Style Guide For Museum Paintings

how to cite a painting from a museum apa

When citing a painting from a museum in APA style, it is important to know basic information such as the name of the artist, the title of the painting, the year it was created, the name of the museum, the city where the museum is located, and the URL. The exact format of the citation is as follows: Artist’s Last Name, Artist’s First Name/Initial. (Year). Title of Painting. [Description of materials and dimensions]. Name of Museum, City. URL. For example, a citation for a painting viewed in person and available online would be structured as such: Leutze, E. (1851). Washington Crossing the Delaware. Oil on canvas, 149 x 255 in. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY. https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/11417.

Characteristics Values
Artist's Last Name Leutze
Artist's First Name Emmanuel
Title of Artwork Washington Crossing the Delaware
Year of Creation 1851
Description of Materials Oil on canvas
Dimensions 149 x 255 in
Museum Metropolitan Museum of Art
City New York
URL https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/11417

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Artist's name format

When citing a painting in APA style, the artist's name is written in the format "Artist Surname, First Name". For example, the artist name for "Washington Crossing the Delaware" is written as "Leutze, Emmanuel".

In this format, the artist's last name is followed by a comma and then their first name. This is consistent with how song credits are formatted in APA style, where the artist or band is credited with their last name followed by their initials, for example, "Sheeran, E.".

It is important to note that if the artist is listed as anonymous, you should use that as the name. If no artist is credited, you can simply skip this step and begin the citation with the title of the artwork.

This format ensures proper acknowledgment of the artist and consistency in the citation, which is key to maintaining the credibility of your paper.

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Title of painting

To cite a painting in APA style, you must include the following information: the name of the artist (last name followed by a comma and then the first name), the title of the painting (in italics), the year of creation, a description of the materials used, the dimensions, the name of the museum or gallery, the city where the museum or gallery is located, and the URL if the painting was viewed online.

Leutze, E. (*Washington Crossing the Delaware*, 1851, oil on canvas, 149 x 255 in, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/11417).

If you are citing a painting that you saw in person, follow the same format as above but omit the URL. However, if the painting is available online, include the URL even if you viewed it in person.

Additionally, if the artist is listed as anonymous, use that as the name. If no artist is credited, begin the citation with the title of the painting.

Anonymous (Untitled), Year of creation, Museum, City.

Alternatively, if there is no credited artist and no title, the description of the painting can be used in place of the title.

Description (*Untitled*), Year of creation, Museum, City.

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Year of creation

To cite a painting in APA style, the year of creation is an important element to include in your citation. This is because it helps identify the painting and provides context for when it was created. Here's how you can format the year of creation in your APA citation:

Format for Year of Creation:

The basic format for citing a painting in APA style includes the year of creation. Here's the order of elements:

  • Artist's Last Name, Artist's First Name.
  • Title of the Painting.
  • Year of creation.
  • Name of the Museum or Gallery.
  • City of the museum or gallery.

For example:

Matisse, Henri. Femme au chapeau (Woman with a Hat). 1905. Museum of Modern Art, New York City.

In this example, "1905" is the year of creation.

Uncertain or Unknown Year of Creation:

If the year of creation is uncertain or unknown, you can use alternative date information. For instance, if the painting's creation spanned multiple years, you can provide a range:

De Goya, F. (1820-1823). Saturn Devouring One of His Sons. [mural painting transferred to canvas]. Museo del Prado, Madrid, Spain.

In this example, the painting's creation is dated to the years between 1820 and 1823.

No Year of Creation:

If there is no year of creation provided, you can omit that part of the citation. However, ensure that you include all other relevant information, such as the artist's name, title of the painting, museum details, and any other descriptive information available:

Artist’s Last Name, Artist’s First Name. Title of Artwork OR description. Museum, City.

For example:

Leutze, Emmanuel. Washington Crossing the Delaware. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City.

In this case, the year of creation is unknown or not provided, so it is omitted from the citation.

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Museum name and location

When citing a painting from a museum in APA style, the name and location of the museum are essential components of the citation. Here are some guidelines and examples to help you format your citations correctly:

The museum's name and location are typically included in the citation to provide clear information about the source of the painting. Here's how you can format this information:

  • Basic Structure: After providing details about the artist, title of the painting, and year of creation, you include the museum's name followed by a comma and the city where it is located. For example:
  • Artist’s Last Name, Artist’s First Name. Title of Artwork. Year of creation, Museum Name, City.
  • Specific Examples: Here are a couple of examples to illustrate the structure:
  • Leutze, Emmanuel. Washington Crossing the Delaware. 1851, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City.
  • Matisse, Henri. Femme au chapeau (Woman with a Hat). 1905, Museum of Modern Art, New York City.
  • Exhibition Catalogs: When citing an exhibition catalog, you treat it as a book citation. The basic structure is as follows:
  • Editor's Last Name, First Name. (Year). Exhibition Catalog Title. Location: Museum Name.

For example:

  • Cristosomo, Christian D., ed. (2021). Marvels and Myths: Examinations of Gods. Chicago: Museum of Comics and Culture.
  • Virtual Displays: When citing a virtual display or online source, include the URL at the end of the citation. Here's an example:
  • Colburne, E. (ca.1926). Firs on Sehome Hill, Bellingham, Wash [Color woodcut]. Whatcom Museum, Bellingham, WA. https://www.whatcommuseum.org/virtual_exhibit/universal_exhibit/vex12/08A25B93-0189-4EF5-8C61-272624019380.htm

Remember, these guidelines provide a general structure for citing a painting from a museum in APA style, focusing on the museum's name and location. Depending on the specific details available (such as artist, title, or exhibition information), you may need to make adjustments or include additional elements in your citations.

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URL and other details

When citing a painting in APA style, it is important to include the URL and other key details. The URL should direct the reader to the webpage where the painting can be viewed online. The URL is usually placed at the end of the citation.

The other details that should be included in the citation are:

  • The last name of the artist, followed by a comma, and then their first name, followed by a full stop. For example: "Leutze, Emmanuel."
  • The title of the painting in italics, followed by a full stop. For example: Washington Crossing the Delaware.
  • The year the painting was created, followed by a comma. For example: "1851,"
  • A description of the materials used, followed by a comma. For example: "oil on canvas,"
  • The dimensions of the painting, followed by the name of the museum where it is housed, followed by a comma. For example: "149 x 255 in, Metropolitan Museum of Art,"
  • The city where the museum is located. For example: "New York."

Leutze, Emmanuel. *Washington Crossing the Delaware*. 1851, oil on canvas, 149 x 255 in, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/11417

Frequently asked questions

Artist Surname, First Name. (Year of creation). Title of the painting [format/medium]. Name of the Museum or Gallery, City of the museum or gallery. For example:

> Matisse, Henri. (1905). Femme au chapeau [Woman with a Hat]. Museum of Modern Art, New York City.

If the title is unknown, you can use a description of the painting in square brackets instead. If the artist is unknown, you can omit their name and start the citation with the title or description.

Only include a URL if you accessed the painting via a museum website. If there is no associated website, simply omit the URL.

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