APA Art Citations
In APA style, an image requires an in-text citation and an entry in References, just like a quotation or paraphrase. Label each image with a caption that includes the bibliographic information for the image. Give each image a figure number (Figure 1, Figure 2, etc.).
If the image is a drawing, rendering, infographic, or other illustration, include:
- the title of the image
- the name of the artist or illustrator
- the date the image was created
If the image is a photograph of a building, include:
- the name of the building
- the name of the architect
- the date the building was completed
- the location of the building
If the image is a photograph or reproduction of a work of art, include:
- the title of the artwork
- the name of the artist
- the date the artwork was created
If you don’t see all of this information in the caption of the image or the text around it, look for a separate list of image credits. This list is often called List of Illustrations, Illustration Credits, Image Credits, or simply Credits. In books, it may be either at the beginning or at the end of the book.
Note: Museums rarely credit an individual photographer.
At the end of the caption, insert an in-text citation citing the book, website or other source that you got the image from.
Caption:
- Format: Fig. #. Artist Name. (date). Title of work. [medium]. Location of artwork. city, state/country.
- Example: Fig. 4. Francisco de Goya. (1820-1823). Saturn Devouring One of his Sons. [mural painting transferred to canvas]. Museo del Prado, Madrid, Spain.
In-Text Citation:
- Format: (last name, Date)
- Example: (Goya, 1820-1823)
Reference List:
- Format: Last name, first initial. (date). Title of work. [medium]. Location of artwork. city, state/country.
- Example: de Goya, F. (1820-1823). Saturn Devouring One of his Sons. [mural painting transferred to canvas]. Museo del Prado, Madrid, Spain.
Caption: If artist is unknown, begin with the title. If the date of creation is unknown, use (n.d.) for "no date."
- Format: Figure #. Title of work, date (if found in book, book author, date published, page number)
- Example: Figure 2. Menkaure and Khamerenebty royal statue, c. 2470 BCE (Bell, 2007, p.42)
In-Text Citation:
(last name, Date)
In Reference list:
- Format: Artist last name, first initial. (Year of book's publication). Title of artwork [Description]. Institution, Museum, or Collection, City, abbreviated Province/ State, Country. In Author/Editor's name, Book title (p. #). Publisher/s. (Original work xxxx).
- Example: Menkaure and Khamerenebty royal statue [carved stone]. (2010). Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA, USA. In J. Bell, Mirror of the World: A New History of Art (p. 42). Thames & Hudson. (Original work 2470 BCE).
If citing an artwork from a website, such as a museum collection website, you should cite the work and include where it came from. Websites generally don't have page numbers, so that element is left out of the in-text citation.
Caption:
- Format: Figure #. Title of work, by artist First initial Last name, [medium] ca. year (museum collection, date)
- Example: Figure 3. Yellow Dancers (In the Wings), by E. Degas, ca. 1874/76 (Art Institute of Chicago)
In-Text Citation:
(last name, Date)
Reference List:
- Format: Last name, First initial of first name. (Year). Title [medium]. Institution, Museum, or Collection, City, abbreviated Province/State, Country. URL
- Example: Degas, E. (1874/76). Yellow Dancers (In the Wings) [Oil on Canvas]. Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA. https://www.artic.edu/artworks/18951/yellow-dancers-in-the-wings
If the artist is unknown, leave that element out of the caption, and start the citation with the title or description of the work. If the image is from a website that does not have page numbers, that element is left out of the in-text citation.
Caption:
- Format: Figure #. Title of work, by artist name, [medium] ca. year (museum collection, date)
- Example: Figure 3. Buddha, [Limestone], ca. 618 CE–907 CE (Art Institute of Chicago)
In-Text Citation:
(last name, Date)
Reference List:
- Title [medium], (Year). Institution, Museum, or Collection, City, abbreviated Province/State, Country. URL
- Buddha [limestone], (1874/76). Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA. https://www.artic.edu/artworks/86380/buddha