How to Cite a Image or Photograph in Chicago (17th edition)
Learn how to cite photographs, artwork, charts, and online images in Chicago format (17th edition). This guide includes the reference list format, in-text citation examples, and key formatting rules.
Chicago Bibliography Format
Here is the standard Chicago format for citing a image or photograph in your bibliography:
Artist Last Name, First Name. Title of Image. Year. Medium. Museum/Site, Location.
Chicago Example for a Image or Photograph
A complete Chicago reference for a image or photograph, formatted by the official Chicago CSL style definition — the same engine that powers the generator on this site:
Moreau, Claire. 1974. Study at the Window. Photograph. City Museum of Art. https://www.example.org/collection/study-at-the-window.
Matching in-text citation: (Moreau 1974)
Chicago In-Text Citation
Use one of these formats when referencing this source within your paper:
Parenthetical
(Artist Year)
Narrative
Artist (Year) created...
Key Chicago Formatting Rules
- Italicize the title of the artwork; use a descriptive phrase for untitled works.
- Give the year, then the medium and dimensions when relevant.
- Name the museum or collection and its city.
- Add the URL for images viewed online.
- Notes-Bibliography: use footnotes; Author-Date: use parenthetical.
Step-by-Step Guide
- Gather source information: Collect the author name, title, publication date, and URL or DOI for your image or photograph.
- Format the reference: Arrange the elements following the Chicago (17th edition) template shown above.
- Create the in-text citation: Add a parenthetical or narrative citation in your paper where you reference this source.
- Add to your bibliography: Include the full formatted citation at the end of your paper.
- Double-check formatting: Verify italics, punctuation, capitalization, and hanging indents match Chicago requirements.
Evidence and review notes
Worked examples are generated by citeproc from the published CSL definition, not written by a language model. Editorial guidance and sources in this section were reviewed on 2026-08-14.
CSL style record: chicago.csl
Metadata to collect
- artist or creator
- title, or a description of an untitled image
- year of creation
- medium or format
- museum, collection or website
- URL
Common metadata traps
- Cite the page or collection where you saw the image, never a search engine result.
- Distinguish the original artwork from a reproduction printed in a book or article.
Editorial sources
Frequently Asked Questions
- How do I cite a image or photograph in Chicago?
- To cite a image or photograph in Chicago (17th edition), include the author, title, date, and source location. Use our free citation generator for automatic formatting.
- What is the Chicago format for a image or photograph citation?
- The Chicago format for a image or photograph is: Artist Last Name, First Name. Title of Image. Year. Medium. Museum/Site, Location.
- What does the in-text citation look like for a image or photograph in Chicago?
- In Chicago, the in-text citation for the example above is (Artist Year)
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