MLA Citation
MLA 9th Edition Guide
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How to Cite an Image or Artwork in MLA 9.

Citing images and artwork in MLA 9 means identifying the artist, the work's title (italicised), the medium, the institution or website holding it, and the date. Here is the correct format with examples.

Updated January 15, 2024

MLA 9 artwork/image citation format

Artist Last, First. Title of Artwork. Year. Medium, Institution, Location. URL (if online).

Example (museum artwork):

Van Gogh, Vincent. The Starry Night. 1889. Oil on canvas, Museum of Modern Art, New York.


Online image example

Adams, Ansel. Moonrise, Hernandez, New Mexico. 1941. Photograph, Smithsonian American Art Museum, americanart.si.edu/artwork/moonrise-hernandez-new-mexico-77365.


Digital image from a website

Torres, Miguel. “Aerial View of Amazon Rainforest.” National Geographic, 15 June 2022, www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/photo/amazon.


What to include

  • Artist — Last, First
  • Title — italicised
  • Date created — year is sufficient
  • Medium — oil on canvas, photograph, digital illustration, etc.
  • Institution — museum, gallery, or website hosting the image
  • Location — city where the institution is (for physical works)
  • URL — for images viewed online

In-text citation

(Van Gogh) or (Adams)

For images without clear authorship, use a shortened form of the title: (Starry Night).

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