Citing an Image in MLA
Published February 10, 2021. Updated November 10, 2021.
To cite an image in MLA, you need to know the source type, artist, publication year, image title, DOI, and/or accessed date.
The templates and examples below are based on the MLA Handbook, 9th edition. On this page, you can learn how to cite the following:
Online image
In-person
In print
Citing multiple artists or no artist
If you’re trying to cite an image in MLA, the Chegg Writing MLA citation generator could help.
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Citing an online image in MLA style
For citing online images in MLA, the surname of the artists is used in narrative and parenthetical citations.
In-text citation template and example:
Narrative:
Artist Surname demonstrates . . .
Butcher demonstrates . . .
Parenthetical:
(Artist Surname)
(Butcher)
Works cited entry template and example:
Surname, First M. Title of the image. Publication year, URL.
Butcher, Solomon D. Butcher House of A.G. Staerlen, Kearney, Buffalo County, Nebraska. 1903. memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/h?ammem/psbib:@field(DOCID+@lit(p14067).
Read this MLA format guide for more style basics.
Citing an in-person image in MLA style
For citing an in-person image in MLA, the surname of the artists is used in narrative and parenthetical.
In-text citation template and example:
Narrative:
Artist Surname demonstrates . . .
Botticelli demonstrates . . .
Parenthetical:
(Artist Surname)
The Birth of Venus (Botticelli) spotlights how brushstrokes can . . .
Works cited entry template and example:
Surname, First M. Title of the Image. Publication year, Name of Institute Housing Image, Location.
Botticelli, Sandro. The Birth of Venus. 1483–1485, Uffizi Gallery, Florence.
Citing a print image in MLA style
For citing a print image in MLA, the surname of the artists is used in narrative and parenthetical.
In-text citation template and example:
Narrative:
Artist Surname (Page #)
Russell (22)
Parenthetical:
(Artist Surname Page #)
(Russell 22)
Works cited entry template and example:
Surname, First M. Title of the Image. Publication year, Name of Institute Housing Image, URL.
Russell, Andrew J. Ruins at Richmond, Va. 1865. Library of Congress, www.loc.gov/item/2014645782/.
For more information on citing sources in MLA, also read these guides on MLA in-text citations and MLA works cited examples.
Citing multiple artists and no artist in MLA style
2 artists
In-text citation examples:
Adams and Dembe described …
… encrypted (Adams and Dembe).
Works cited list examples:
Adams, Jimmy, and Raul Dembe. Untitled Photo. Library of Congress, LOT 9999, no. 99 1865. www.loc.gov/item/20956287/. Accessed 4 Dec. 2020.
3+ artists
In-text citation examples:
Reddington et al. introduced …
…. were shared (Reddington et al.).
Works cited list examples:
Reddington, James, Lizzy Paul, Harold Cooper. Untitled Photo. Library of Congress, LOT 8888, no. 88 1988. www.loc.gov/item/21234568/. Accessed 4 Dec. 2020.
No artist
In-text citation examples:
“Ancient Chinese art of the Sung dynasty” explains in detail …
…shared and discussed (“Ancient Chinese art of the Sung dynasty”).
Works cited list examples:
Ancient Chinese art of the Sung dynasty, used as illustrations for LCQJ July 1971: from Fo Kuo ch’an shih Wen-shu…ca. 1000. lccn.loc.gov/2007681271. Accessed 4 Dec. 2020.
MLA Style: Learn More
Frequently asked questions
To cite an image in MLA style, the core elements required are the name of the artist, title, name of the museum and URL if applicable. The table below shows how the in-text citation and the works-cited entry are included for an image with no date.
In-text citation template & example:
(Artist’s Surname)
(Ross)
Works-cited entry template & example:
Artist’s Surname, First Name. Title of the Image. Date. Name of the museum or gallery, URL.
Ross, Albert Randolph. Perspective Rendering of Carnegie Library, Nashville, Tennessee, 1902. The Library of Congress, www.loc.gov/item/2007684775/.
To cite images with no date in MLA style, the core elements required are the name of the artist, title, name of the museum, and URL if applicable. The table below shows how the in-text citation and the works-cited entry are included for an image with no date.
In-text citation template & example:
(Artist’s Surname)
(Bell)
Works-cited entry template & example:
Artist’s Surname, First Name. Title of the Image. Name of the museum or gallery, URL.
Bell, C. M. An artificial limb recipient ice-skating near the Washington Monument. The Library of Congress, www.loc.gov/item/2016712624/.
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