Ever been captivated by a painting, sculpture, or photograph and wanted to use it in your research paper? Giving credit where credit is due is crucial in academic writing, and that includes properly citing visual art. Failing to do so can lead to accusations of plagiarism and undermine the credibility of your work. Moreover, accurate citation allows your readers to find the artwork you're referencing, deepening their understanding and appreciation of your analysis.
Citing art in MLA format might seem daunting at first, with its specific rules and potential variations depending on the source where you viewed the artwork. However, mastering this skill is essential for art history students, researchers, and anyone incorporating visual elements into their academic projects. It ensures that you're engaging ethically with the work of artists and contributing to a culture of intellectual honesty.
Frequently Asked Questions About Citing Art in MLA
How do I cite a work of art seen in person at a museum in MLA?
To cite a work of art you viewed in person at a museum in MLA format, include the artist's name, the title of the artwork (in italics), the year it was created, the name of the museum, and the city where the museum is located. The general format is: Artist Last Name, First Name. Title of Artwork. Year, Museum Name, City.
When citing artwork seen in person, precision is key. The MLA format prioritizes providing your reader with the information needed to locate the same artwork. Start with the artist's full name as it appears in the museum's label or online catalog. If the artist is unknown, begin with the title of the artwork. Follow the title with the year the artwork was created. If the exact year is unknown, use "n.d." (no date). If you know the approximate year, use "c." (circa) followed by the estimated year. Include the full, official name of the museum and the city in which it is located. If the city is not well-known or could be confused with another city of the same name, add the state or country abbreviation. This level of detail helps your readers pinpoint the exact location of the artwork you referenced. For example: Van Gogh, Vincent. The Starry Night. 1889, Museum of Modern Art, New York. Here’s an example:Picasso, Pablo. Guernica. 1937, Museo Reina Sofía, Madrid.
What information is needed to cite art from a website using MLA format?
To properly cite art found on a website using MLA format, you'll need the artist's name, the title of the artwork, the date the artwork was created (if available), the title of the website, the publisher or sponsor of the website (if different from the website title), the date of publication or last revision of the website, and the URL.
The MLA citation prioritizes knowing who created the artwork and its title. If the artist is unknown, begin the citation with the artwork's title. The website's title is essential as it indicates where you accessed the image. Knowing the publisher or sponsor provides context about the website's authority. The publication date or last revision date ensures your citation reflects the most up-to-date information. Including the URL allows readers to directly access the artwork.
Often, some of this information can be difficult to find. Look carefully around the image on the website; the information may be in small print. If the creation date of the artwork is unavailable, omit it. If the website lacks a publisher, use the website title again. If no publication or revision date is provided, use the date you accessed the website, preceded by the word "Accessed." Ultimately, be as thorough and accurate as possible with the information that is available.
When citing art in MLA, how should I handle missing information like the artist's name?
When citing art in MLA style and information like the artist's name is missing, you should skip that portion of the citation and begin with the next available piece of information. For example, if the artist is unknown, start with the title of the artwork. Ensure you replace the missing artist's name with information about the institution which owns the work. Never guess at the artist's name.
The guiding principle in MLA citations is to provide enough information for your reader to locate the source you used. When the artist is unknown, the title of the artwork becomes the first element in your citation. If the artwork is untitled, provide a descriptive title of your own in square brackets. After the title, include details such as the date of creation (if known), the medium (e.g., oil on canvas, bronze sculpture), and the institution or collection where the artwork is located. Finally, include the URL if you accessed the image online or the publication information if you found it in a book or journal.
Here's an example. Let's say you are citing an image of an unknown painting in the Louvre Museum that you viewed online: "[Portrait of a Woman with a Fan]." *Louvre Museum*, Date unknown, louvre.fr/en/. Accessed 15 July 2024. Remember that while MLA prioritizes author/artist names, the absence of this information doesn't invalidate the citation. Focus on providing accurate details concerning the artwork's title, location, and accessibility to allow readers to identify the artwork in question.
How does citing a photograph of a painting differ from citing the painting itself in MLA?
When citing a painting in MLA, you focus on the original artwork and its creator. When citing a photograph *of* a painting, you shift the focus to the photographer or the source where you found the image. The citation must then credit the photographer or the institution providing the image, as they are the ones presenting and disseminating the reproduction of the artwork.
When citing the original painting, the citation typically includes the artist's name, the title of the artwork, the date it was created, the medium used (e.g., oil on canvas), the institution that houses the artwork (e.g., the museum or private collection), and the location of that institution. This allows your reader to locate or research the original artwork. However, when you're citing a photograph of a painting, you're not necessarily directing the reader to the original artwork; rather, you are showing them where you *accessed* the image of that artwork. Therefore, citing a photograph requires that you prioritize information about the source of the *image*, not the painting itself. This means including details such as the website, book, journal, or database where you found the photo, as well as the photographer's name if known. You also need to include the URL or publication information to allow your readers to find the specific image you used. This distinction is crucial for academic honesty, as it ensures that you're giving credit to the individual or entity that created or provided access to the photographic reproduction.What's the correct way to cite an image of art found in a book using MLA?
To correctly cite an image of art found in a book using MLA 9th edition, you need to provide the artist's name, the title of the artwork, the year it was created, and then the standard book citation information, including the author, title of the book, publisher, publication year, and page number where the image is located. Ensure you are as specific as possible with the page number, providing figure or plate numbers if applicable.
When citing an image of artwork found in a book, remember that you are essentially citing the reproduction of the artwork, not the original artwork itself. Therefore, the focus is on providing enough information for your reader to locate the image within the book you consulted. The core elements remain consistent with other MLA citations: Author, Title, Source. In this case, the "author" is the artist, and the "title" is the name of the artwork.
The complete citation should follow this general structure: Artist's Last Name, First Name. Title of Artwork. Year Created. Title of Book, by Author's Name, Publisher, Year of Publication, p. Page Number. For example: Van Gogh, Vincent. The Starry Night. 1889. Gardner's Art through the Ages, by Fred S. Kleiner, Cengage Learning, 2016, p. 937. Including the medium of the artwork (e.g., oil on canvas) is optional but can provide additional context to the reader. If the book includes a figure or plate number associated with the image, add that information after the page number, such as "fig. 12" or "pl. 4."
How do I cite art used as an illustration within an article or another artwork in MLA?
To cite art used as an illustration in your article or another artwork in MLA style, you need to provide a caption below the image and a corresponding entry in your Works Cited list. The caption typically includes information such as the artist's name, the title of the artwork, the year it was created, the medium, and the institution or collection where it is housed.
The caption serves as a brief identification for the image within the body of your work. It should be concise and directly beneath the image. For example: "Fig. 1. Leonardo da Vinci, *Mona Lisa*, c. 1503-1517, oil on poplar panel, Musée du Louvre, Paris." If you have more than one figure, number them sequentially (Fig. 1, Fig. 2, etc.). This numbering helps you to reference the image clearly within your text, like "(see Fig. 1)."
The Works Cited entry provides more detailed information. The specific format depends on where you accessed the image. If you viewed the artwork in person at a museum, the entry would look like this: Da Vinci, Leonardo. *Mona Lisa*. c. 1503-1517, Musée du Louvre, Paris. If you found the image online, the entry would include the website name, the URL, and the date you accessed it. For example: Da Vinci, Leonardo. *Mona Lisa*. c. 1503-1517, Musée du Louvre, Paris. *Louvre*, www.louvre.fr/en/explore/the-louvre-online/masterpieces/mona-lisa. Accessed 15 Oct. 2023. Remember to italicize the title of the artwork if it is a standalone piece, such as a painting or sculpture. If it's part of a larger work, such as a mural, put the title in quotation marks.
What if the art is part of a larger exhibit; how does that affect the MLA citation?
When the artwork you're citing is part of a larger exhibit, the MLA citation needs to include information about the exhibit. This means adding the name of the exhibit in italics, the location of the exhibit (museum or gallery and city), and the dates the exhibit was on display after the artist's name, artwork title, and medium.
The exhibit information acts as a container within the overall citation. Think of it this way: the artwork exists within the context of the larger exhibit. Therefore, you need to accurately represent that context. The specific format involves placing the *name of the exhibit* in italics, followed by a comma, then the name of the institution (museum or gallery), another comma, and the city. Finally, include the exhibition dates, formatted as "Day Month Year – Day Month Year."
For example, if you viewed Van Gogh's "Starry Night" at an exhibit called "Impressionism and Beyond" at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, running from March 15, 2023, to August 27, 2023, your citation would include this information after the typical elements about the artwork itself. Including this detail allows your readers to understand where and when you encountered the artwork, which can be vital for understanding the artwork's reception and context.
And that's it! Hopefully, you now feel confident about citing art in MLA style. Thanks for reading, and don't hesitate to come back if you have any more citation questions. Happy researching!