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Finding Images
You may need to locate artwork for research or for a research paper or presentation. There are several methods to locate artwork that is freely available to use. Remember that you must obey copyright when obtaining images. Use the following tips and resources to help locate artwork that you may download. Be sure to always check the page and the image for any conditions on its use. Common conditions include not using it for a commercial business and providing credit/attribution.
Access Artstor Collections | Video Tutorial | How to Cite
Artstor Collections, hosted on JSTOR, is a collection of over 2.5 million digital art images, including basic information about each piece. These images may be used for research papers and class presentations, if they are properly credited.
Beyond searching, you can also browse by classifications or geography.
Google Images is a subset of Google's search engine that allows you to search for pictures. Not all search results are free to use; be sure to look at copyright and fair use guidelines, and always give credit.
Limit By License
- Type in your search terms and hit search.
- Click the Tools option above the search results.
- Under Usage Rights, choose Creative Commons licenses.
Please keep in mind that most Creative Commons licenses require attribution.
Limit to High Quality Images
- Type in your search terms and hit search.
- Choose the Search Tools option, located above the results.
- Under Size, choose Large.
Museum & Library Collections
- Freer|Sackler CollectionsFocusing on Asian art.
- Museum with No FrontiersSpecializing in Islamic, Baroque, and carpet art.
- Pre-Raphaelite Online Resource3000 digitized images from Birmingham Museums & Art Gallery’s Pre-Raphaelite collection.
Other Image Websites
- accessCeramicsContemporary ceramics images.
- RomanesPictures of Romanesque statues and architecture.
Citing Images
Guidance for citing artwork in MLA is taken from the MLA Handbook (pages 331-332 and Appendix 2) and the official MLA Style page.
Template
Artist. Title of Artwork. Composition Date, Museum, City. or Website, URL. Medium (optional).
Missing Information
- If there is no artist, start with the title of the work.
- If there is a date range or date estimate, use that, with word circa.
- If there is no title, include a description of the work but do not italicize the description.
Examples
Giotto. Lamentation. 1303–06, Arena Chapel, Padua. Art in World History, by Mary Hollingsworth, Sharpe Reference, 2004, vol. 1, p. 210.
Kahlo, Frida. Girl with Death Mask. 1938. Nagoya City Art Museum. Google Arts & Culture, artsandculture.google.com/asset/girl-with-death-mask-ni%C3%B1a-con-m%C3%A1scara-de-calavera-frida-kahlo/XgGnVsKm4o3rhw. Oil on tin plate.
The Seated Scribe. Circa 2450–2500 BCE, Louvre, Paris, collections.louvre.fr/en/ark:/53355/cl010006582. Limestone sculpture.
Wiley, Kehinde Dogon Couple. 2008, Harn Museum of Art, Gainesville, FL. Oil on canvas.
In-Text Citations
(Giotto); (Kahlo); (Seated Scribe;) (Wiley)
Guidance for citing artwork in Chicago is taken from the Chicago Manual of Style (section 14.235).
Bibliography Template
Artist. Title of Work. Date. Medium information. Location. URL.
Note Template
1. Artist, Title of Work, Date, Medium information, Location, URL.
Missing Information
- If there is no artist, start with the title of the work.
- If there is a date range or date estimate, use that.
- If there is no title, include a description of the work, unitalicized.
- If viewed in-person, you may omit the URL.
Bibliography Examples
Giotto. Lamentation. 1303–06. Fresco. Arena Chapel, Padua. In Art in World History, by Mary Hollingsworth. Armonk, NY: Sharpe Reference, 2004.
Kahlo, Frida. Girl with Death Mask. 1938. Oil on tin plate. Nagoya City Art Museum. Google Arts & Culture. https://artsandculture.google.com/asset/girl-with-death-mask-ni%C3%B1a-con-m%C3%A1scara-de-calavera-frida-kahlo/XgGnVsKm4o3rhw.
The Seated Scribe. Circa 2450–2500 BCE. Limestone sculpture. Louvre, Paris. https://collections.louvre.fr/en/ark:/53355/cl010006582.
Wiley, Kehinde. Dogon Couple. 2008. Oil on canvas. Harn Museum of Art, Gainesville, FL.
Note Examples
1. Giotto, Lamentation, 1303–06, fresco, Arena Chapel, Padua, in Art in World History, by Mary Hollingsworth (Armonk, NY: Sharpe Reference, 2004), 1:210.
2. Frida Kahlo, Girl with Death Mask, 1938, oil on tin plate, Nagoya City Art Museum, Google Arts & Culture, https://artsandculture.google.com/asset/girl-with-death-mask-ni%C3%B1a-con-m%C3%A1scara-de-calavera-frida-kahlo/XgGnVsKm4o3rhw.
3. The Seated Scribe, circa 2450–2500 BCE, limestone sculpture, Louvre, Paris, https://collections.louvre.fr/en/ark:/53355/cl010006582.
4. Kehinde Wiley, Dogon Couple, 2008, oil on canvas, Harn Museum of Art, Gainesville, FL.
Guidance for citing artwork in APA is taken from the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (section 10.4) and the official APA Style page for Artwork References.
Template
Artist, A. A. (Year). Title of work [Medium: Painting, drawing, sculpture, photograph, etc.]. Museum, Location. http://xxxxx
Missing Information
- If there is no artist, start with the title of the work and put the year after the medium.
- If there is a date range or date estimate, use that.
- If there is no title, include a description of the work in square brackets and omit the medium.
- If viewed in-person, you may omit the URL.
Examples
Giotto. (1303–1306). Lamentation [Fresco]. Arena Chapel, Padua. In M. Hollingsworth, Art in world history (vol. 1, p. 210). Sharpe Reference.
Kahlo, F. (1938). Girl with death mask [Oil on tin plate]. Nagoya City Art Museum. Google Arts & Culture, https://artsandculture.google.com/asset/girl-with-death-mask-ni%C3%B1a-con-m%C3%A1scara-de-calavera-frida-kahlo/XgGnVsKm4o3rhw
The Seated Scribe [Limestone sculpture]. (2450–2500 BCE). Louvre, Paris. https://collections.louvre.fr/en/ark:/53355/cl010006582.
Wiley, K. (2008). Dogon couple [Oil on canvas]. Harn Museum of Art, Gainesville, FL.
In-Text Citations
(Giotto, 1303–1306); (Kahlo, 1938); (Seated Scribe, 2450–2500 BCE); (Wiley, 2008)