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Chicago Citation Style: Images and Artwork

General Guidelines for citing Images

  • References to photographs, paintings, and other images can usually be presented in the text rather than a note or bibliography
  • If a citation is required by your instructor, follow the guidelines below 
  • Titles are italicized, whether the titles are original, or added by someone other than the artist
  • If you directly insert an image into your paper, (as opposed to just referring to it) put the citation information in a caption under the image instead of a footnote. Start the caption with a figure number (e.g. Figure 1.). Refer to this help sheet from the Chicago Manual of Style Website to see an example of an image placed in a paper.
Example - Image from a book 
Chicago Manual Bibliography Footnote

14.235

 

Creator's Last Name, First Name. Title of Artwork. Date of Creation. Medium. In Title of Book, by Author's First Name Last Name, Place of publication: Publisher, Year.

 

Van Gogh, Vincent. The Harvest. 1888. Painting. In The World of Van Gogh; 1853-1890, by Robert Wallace, New York: Time-Life Books, 1969. 

  

                                                                     

1. Creator's First Name Last Name, Title of Artwork, Date of Creation, Medium, in Title of Book, by  Author's First Name Last Name, (Place of publication: Publisher, Year), Page.

 

    2. Vincent Van Gogh, The Harvest, 1888, Painting, in The World of Van Gogh; 1853-1890, by Robert Wallace, (New York: Time-Life Books, 1969), 104.

Shortened Note:

    3. Van Gogh, The Harvest. 

 
Example - Cover image from a journal or magazine
Chicago Manual Bibliography Footnote

14.235

 

Creator's Last Name, First Name. Title of Image. Date of Creation. Medium. Title of Publication, cover, Date of Publication.

 

McCurry, Steve. Afghan Girl. December 1984. Photograph. National Geographic, cover, June 1985.

  

                                                                     

1. Creator's First Name Last Name, Title of Image, Date of Creation, Medium, Title of Publication, cover, Date of Publication.

 

    1. Steve Curry, Afghan Girl, December 1984, Photograph, National Geographic, cover, June 1985.

Shortened Note:

    3. Curry, Afghan Girl. 

 
 Example - Image from a gallery's website
Chicago Manual Bibliography Footnote

14.235

 

Creator's Last Name, First Name. Title of Artwork. Date of Creation. Medium, other Information. Location of Work. City. URL.

 

Carr, Emily. British Columbia Landscape. c1934. Oil on wove paper, mounted on cardboard, 90.2 x 60 cm. National Gallery of Canada. Ottawa. https://www.gallery.ca/collection/artwork/british-columbia-landscape-0

  

                                                                     

1. Creator's First Name Last Name, Title of Artwork, Date of Creation, Medium, other information, Location of Work, City, URL. 

 

    1. Emily Carr, British Columbia Landscape, c1934, oil on wove paper, mounted on cardboard, 90.2 × 60 cm, National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, https://www.gallery.ca/collection/artwork/british-columbia-landscape-0. 

  3. Carr, British Columbia. 

 
Example - Image from a KPU database 
Chicago Manual Bibliography Footnote

14.235 

 

Creator's Last Name, First Name. Title of Image. Date of Creation. Medium. Name of Database or Online Image Library.                                                                                           

Copley, John Singleton. Watson and the Shark. 1778. Painting. Artstor. 

 

1. Creator's First Name Last Name, Title of Artwork, Date of Creation, Medium, Name of Database.

 

2. John Singleton Copley, Watson and the Shark, 1778, Painting, Artstor.

       6. Singleton, Watson.

 

 
Example - Advertisements
Chicago Manual Bibliography Footnote

Not covered in the Manual 

 

 Cite in the footnote or endnote. 

1. Product, Company, or Institution Name, Title of Advertisement (if available), Advertisement, Title of Source, Date of Publication, Page Number (for print) or URL (for electronic).

 

    2. Banana Republic, Advertisement, InStyle, October 2006, 51.

    3. Banana Republic.