Citing Art: The Proper Way To Reference A Painting

how to cite a painting in a college paper

Citing a painting in a college paper depends on the citation style used in your paper, such as MLA, APA, or Chicago style. Regardless of the style, you will need basic information about the painting, including the artist's name, the title of the painting, the year it was created, and the name and location of the museum or gallery where it is housed. If you viewed the painting on a museum's website, you would include the website name and URL instead of the physical location. Additional information, such as the materials and dimensions of the painting, may also be included in your citation if relevant to your paper.

Characteristics Values
Artist's name Required
Artist's name format Last name, followed by a comma, then first name
Title of the painting Italicised, followed by the word "Painting" in brackets
Title case Capitalise the first word and all nouns, pronouns, verbs, and adverbs
Year of creation Include the year the painting was completed, followed by a period
Materials used List the materials used in sentence case, followed by a period
Dimensions Include the measurements, using standard abbreviations for units
Museum name and location Mention the name and city of the museum where the painting is housed
URL Include the URL of the website where the painting was viewed

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Artist name and title

When citing a painting in a college paper, the artist's name and the title of the painting are essential components of the citation. The specific format of the citation will depend on the style guide you are using, such as MLA, APA, or Chicago style. Here is how you would typically format the artist's name and title of the painting in each of these styles:

MLA Style

In MLA style, the basic format for citing a painting includes the artist's name, the title of the work, and the museum name and location. Here is an example of an MLA citation for a painting:

> Goya, Francisco. The Family of Charles IV. 1800. Museo del Prado, Madrid.

If you viewed the painting on a museum website, you would omit the name and location of the museum and include the website name and URL instead:

> Goya, Francisco. The Family of Charles IV. 1800. www.museodelprado.es/en/the-collection/art-work/the-family-of-carlos-iv/

In the body of your paper, you would mention the artist's name followed by the title of the work in italics, for example:

> "Francisco Goya's painting *The Family of Charles IV* depicts a royal family..."

APA Style

In APA style, the format for citing a painting typically includes the artist's last name, followed by their initials, the date of the painting, the title of the work, the medium, and the location of the artwork. Here is an example of an APA citation for a painting:

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

Chicago Style

In Chicago style, the artist's name is listed similarly to APA style, with the last name followed by a comma and the first name, followed by a period. The title of the painting is then listed in italics. Here is an example of a Chicago-style citation for a painting:

> Gogh, Vincent van. *The Starry Night*. 1889.

You would then include additional information such as the materials and dimensions of the painting.

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Year and materials

When citing a painting in a college paper, it is essential to include the year the painting was created, followed by a description of the materials used. Here are some detailed guidelines and examples to help you format your citations correctly:

Year:

Provide the year the painting was completed, followed by a period. This information is crucial as it indicates when the artwork was created, regardless of when it was published or displayed on a website. For example:

  • "Goya, Francisco. The Family of Charles IV. 1800. Museo del Prado, Madrid."
  • "de Goya, F. (1820-1823). Saturn Devouring One of his Sons. [mural painting transferred to canvas]. Museo del Prado, Madrid, Spain."

If the exact year is unknown, you can use a range of years or simply indicate the century:

  • "da Vinci, Leonardo. Mona Lisa. c. 1503-1506. Louvre Museum, Paris, France."
  • "Rembrandt. Self-Portrait with Two Circles. 17th century. Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, Netherlands."

Materials:

After the year, include a description of the materials used to create the painting. Use sentence case, capitalizing only the first word and any proper nouns. Place a period after this description. For example:

  • "Gogh, Vincent van. The Starry Night. 1889. Oil on canvas. The Museum of Modern Art, New York."
  • "Monet, Claude. Water Lilies. 1906. Oil on canvas. Musée de l'Orangerie, Paris."

If the painting is created using a unique or specific technique, you can include that information as well:

  • "da Vinci, Leonardo. The Last Supper. 1495-1498. Tempera and oil on plaster. Santa Maria delle Grazie, Milan."
  • "Jackson Pollock. Autumn Rhythm. 1950. Enamel on canvas. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York."

In some cases, the materials used may not be relevant to your paper or may not be available. In such instances, you can simply omit that information, as it is not required for all citation styles. Ensure that you maintain consistency in the information you provide throughout your citations.

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Dimensions

When citing a painting in a college paper, it is essential to include its dimensions as part of the citation. The specific format for citing a painting's dimensions will depend on the citation style used, such as MLA, APA, or Chicago. Here is a detailed guide on how to cite the dimensions of a painting in each of these three commonly used styles:

MLA (Modern Language Association) Style:

When using the MLA style, the dimensions of the painting should be included after the description of the materials used. Use standard abbreviations for the units of measurement, such as "in." for inches or "cm" for centimetres. For example:

> Gogh, Vincent van. The Starry Night. 1889. Oil on canvas. 29 in. x 36.25 in.

If the painting was viewed on a museum's website, the citation would include the website name and URL instead of the museum name and location. Here's an 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/.

APA (American Psychological Association) Style:

In APA style, the basic format for citing a painting includes the artist's name, title of the artwork, year of creation, description of materials, dimensions, museum name, city, and URL. Here's an example:

> Leutze, Emmanuel. Washington Crossing the Delaware. 1851. Oil on canvas. 149 x 255 in. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Chicago Style:

When using Chicago style, the dimensions of the painting are included after the description of the materials, followed by a period. You can use either imperial or metric measurements, but it is important to be consistent throughout your paper. Here's an example:

> Gogh, Vincent van. The Starry Night. 1889. Oil on canvas. 29 in. x 36.25 in.

If you viewed the painting on a museum's website, include the website name and URL instead of the museum name and location. Here's an example:

> Goya, Francisco. The Family of Charles IV. 1800. In Tansey, Richard G. and Kleiner, Fred S. Gardener's Art Through the Ages. 10th ed., Harcourt Brace, p. 939, www.museodelprado.es/en/the-collection/art-work/the-family-of-carlos-iv/.

Remember, when citing a painting in a college paper, it is important to include the dimensions to provide a comprehensive reference for your source. The specific format may vary depending on the citation style you are using, so ensure you follow the guidelines for your chosen style consistently.

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Museum name and location

When citing a painting in a college paper, the museum name and location are essential components of the citation. Here are some detailed guidelines on how to format this information in your references:

MLA Style

In the MLA style, the museum name and location are included after the year of creation of the painting. Here is the basic structure:

> Artist's Last Name, First Name. Title of Painting. Year of creation, Museum Name, City of the museum.

For example:

> Goya, Francisco. The Family of Charles IV. 1800, Museo del Prado, Madrid.

If you viewed the painting on the museum's website, include the website name and URL instead of the museum name and location:

> Artist's Last Name, First Name. Title of Painting. Year of creation, Website Name, URL.

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/.

APA Style

In APA style, the structure for citing a painting includes the museum name and location. Here is the basic format:

> Artist's Last Name, First Name. (Year of creation). Title of Painting [Painting]. Museum Name, City of the museum.

For example:

> Van Gogh, Vincent. (1889). The Starry Night [Painting]. The Museum of Modern Art, New York, NY, US.

Chicago Style

For Chicago-style citations, the structure is similar to APA. Here is the basic format:

> Artist's Last Name, First Name, Title of Painting, Year of creation, Museum Name, City of the museum.

For example:

> Van Gogh, Vincent, The Starry Night, 1889, The Museum of Modern Art, New York.

When citing a museum exhibit in Chicago style, the format is as follows:

> Editor First Name Last Name, ed., Exhibition Title (Location: Museum Name, Publication Year), exhibition catalog.

For example:

> Cristosomo, Christian D., Marvels and Myths: Examinations of Gods, Chicago: Museum of Comics and Culture, 2021.

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URL and access date

When citing a painting in a college paper, the URL and access date are important components of the citation. Here are some detailed guidelines on how to include this information in your citations:

MLA Style:

If you viewed the painting on a museum's website, treat the website name as the container (similar to a book) and include the URL at the end of the citation. The access date is now optional in MLA 8th edition. However, if no publication date is provided, it is recommended to include the date you accessed the site. Here is an 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/. Accessed July 14, 2018.

Chicago Style:

The Chicago Manual of Style recommends including the URL and access date if you viewed the painting online. Place a comma after the URL and then type "accessed" followed by the date in the format Accessed Month Day, Year. For example:

> Gogh, Vincent van. The Starry Night. 1889. Oil on canvas. 29 in. x 36.25 in. Museum of Modern Art, New York. www.moma.org/collection/works/7867, accessed May 16, 2023.

APA Style:

Although not specifically mentioned, it is generally a good practice to include the URL and access date for online sources in APA style citations. Here is an example of how you might structure it:

> Leutze, E. (1851). Washington Crossing the Delaware. The Met, www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/11417. Accessed July 4, 2023.

Remember to consult the specific style guide requirements for MLA, Chicago, or APA to ensure your citations are accurate and conform to the latest guidelines.

Frequently asked questions

You need to include the basic information, such as the artist's name, the title of the painting in italics, the year it was created, and the name and location of the museum where it is housed. If you viewed the painting on a museum's website, omit the museum name and location and instead include the website name and URL.

The format is as follows: Last name, first initial. (Date). Title of work. [Medium]. Location of artwork, city, state/country. For example: "de Goya, F. (1820-1823). Saturn Devouring One of his Sons. [mural painting transferred to canvas]. Museo del Prado, Madrid, Spain."

List the artist's last name, followed by their first name, and then the title of the painting in italics. Include the year the painting was completed, the materials used, and the dimensions. Finally, add the name of the museum where the painting is currently located, along with the city.

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