When citing works of art and other visual materials, the most commonly used citation style is Chicago Style. This guide explains how to cite works of art in Chicago Style.
When citing images, it is important to remember that citing a work of art, such as a painting or photograph, is different from citing text. Because images are not texts, they are not subject to the same conventions as written sources.
Instead, when citing an image it is important to provide specific details about the work of art itself and its creator.
When citing works of art in Chicago style the following elements should be provided:
- Creator: The artist, designer or architect responsible for creating the work of art.
- Title: The title of the artwork or object.
- Date: The date when the artwork was completed or created.
- Medium: The material used to create the artwork (e.g., oil on canvas).
When these elements are provided in a citation they should be placed in parentheses and separated by commas. For example, if you were citing Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa painting the citation would look like this: (Leonardo da Vinci, Mona Lisa, c. 1503-1506, oil on panel).
In addition to providing these elements in a citation it is also important to include information about where the artwork can be found. This could include a museum or gallery name as well as details about any exhibitions in which it has been featured. If you are citing an artwork that is part of an online collection you should also provide a URL for where it can be accessed online.
Conclusion: In conclusion, when citing works of art for an Art History paper it is important to use the Chicago Style citation format and make sure you provide all relevant information about the work itself and its creator as well as where it can be found.