To properly cite a work of art, include the following details: the artist's name, the title of the artwork in italics, the year of composition, and the name of the institution where the artwork is housed, along with the institution's location (if not part of the name, such as in The Art Institute of Chicago).
Example:Johnson, William H. I Baptize Thee, ca. 1940. Oil on burlap, 38 1⁄8 x 45 1⁄2 in. (96.9 x 115.6 cm). Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the Harmon Foundation, 1967.59.977. Smithsonian American Art Museum Collection.
If the medium and materials (e.g., oil on canvas) are significant to your reference, you can add this at the end of the citation. This detail is optional.
For photographic reproductions of artwork, such as images found in books or online, treat the book or website as the source (container). For a second container (like a book or website), start by citing the title, followed by the contributors. Then, include the relevant bibliographic details for the original artwork, along with the source information.
Example:
Campbell, Mary Schmidt. Harlem Renaissance: Art of Black America. Harry N. Abrams, 1987.
If you accessed the artwork on a museum's website, treat the website as the container. Include the publisher (if different from the website name) and the URL. The date in this citation refers to the artwork's creation, not its online publication, so the period after the date is used, as per MLA format.
Example:
Waring, Laura Wheeler. Girl with Pomegranate. Circa 1940. Smithsonian American Art Museum, americanart.si.edu/artwork/girl-pomegranate-7010.
