How to Write a Bibliography for a Painting

Learn how to properly reference a painting in a bibliography.

There are two primary ways to list references at the end of an academic paper: a Works Cited section and a Bibliography. The former lists references that are cited within the paper, while the latter lists references that were used during research but not necessarily cited. It is of critical importance that the references are recorded correctly, per the style guidelines of the respective format. The case of referencing a painting is no exception.

Instructions

MLA (Modern Language Association) Format

1. Type the painter's last name, followed by a comma and the painter's first name. Denote the end of this section with a period.

2. Type the painting title in italics. Denote the end of this section with a period.

3. Type the year of composition, followed by a period. If the painting was created over the span of several years, type the range (XXXX-XXXX).

4. Type the medium, followed by a period.

5. Type the name of the museum in which the painting current resides, followed by a comma.

6. Type the city in which the painting currently resides, followed by a period.

   For instance, you would cite the "Mona Lisa" as follows:
   Da Vinci, Leonardo. (in italics) Mona Lisa. 1503-1506. Oil on wood. Louvre, Paris.

APA (American Psychological Association) Format

1. Type the painter's last name, followed by a comma and the artist's first name. Denote the end of this section with a period.

2. Type the painter's role in parenthesis. In this case, you would type: (Artist) followed by a period.

3. Type the painting's title, followed by a period.

4. Type the painting's medium within brackets, followed by a period.

5. Type the country or city of origin, followed by a period.

6. Type the current repository, followed by a comma and the city of current residence. Denote the end of the citation with a period.

   For instance, you would cite the "Mona Lisa" as follows:
   Da Vinci, Leonardo. (Artist) Mona Lisa. [Painting]. Oil on wood. Florence. Louvre, Paris.

References

• Trinity: MLA Citation Style
• Noodle Tools: MLA Citation
• University of Cincinnati: Citing Images

Resources

• Purdue: MLA Formatting and Style Guide
• Purdue: APA Formatting and Style Guide