The following guidance has been adapted from Columbia College's Chicago Citation Guide (18th Edition): Images, Artwork, and Maps, UChicago Library's Images: A Guide to Visual Resources guide, as well as Monash University's Chicago 18th (A) Notes and Bibliography: Images and Captions guide.
There is no set format for captions in Chicago 18th edition and the content will depend on the type of image. Artwork, for example, will include titles in the caption whereas diagrams and photograph captions can often include a description. Below are some recommendations for creating captions.
Figure 1. Claude Monet, Blanche Monet Painting, 1885-90, oil on canvas, 36 x 38.5in., accessed 28 Oct. 2025, https://jstor.org/stable/community.13608862.
Figure 2. Vincent van Gogh, Shoes, 1888, oil on canvas, 18 x 21 3/4in., The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, accessed 28 Oct. 2025, https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/436533.
For more information on figures and captions, see chapter 3 of the Chicago Manual of Style which includes a detailed discussion of captions for art works and examples of usage.
Numbers in parentheses refer to specific chapters and sections in The Chicago Manual (18th ed.)
1. Artist First Name Surname, Image Title, Year, Medium, Size, Location of physical version, museum accession number [if applicable], URL [if applicable].
2. Artist Surname, Image Title.
Artist Surname, First Name. Image Title. Year. Medium, Size, Location of physical version, museum accession number [if applicable], URL [if applicable].
1. Georgia O'Keeffe, A Sunflower from Maggie, 1937, oil on canvas, 40.64 x 50.8 cm (16 x 20 in.), Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, http://library.artstor.org.ezproxy.ardc.talonline.ca/asset/AMICO_BOSTON_103832223.
2. O'Keeffe, A Sunflower from Maggie.
O'Keeffe, Georgia. A Sunflower from Maggie. 1937, oil on canvas,40.64 x 50.8 cm (16 x 20 in.). Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, http://library.artstor.org.ezproxy.ardc.talonline.ca/asset/AMICO_BOSTON_103832223.
Numbers in parentheses refer to specific chapter and section in The Chicago Manual (18th ed.)
1. Author First Name Surname, "Photograph Title," Year Photo was Taken (if provided), in Book Title (Publisher, Year), page or plate #.
2. Author Surname, "Photograph Title."
Author Surname, First Name. "Photograph Title." Year Photo was Taken (if provided). In Book Title. Place of Publication: Publisher, Year, page or plate #.
1. Franz Jansen, "8 O'Clock," 1920, in German Expressionist Woodcuts, ed. Shane Weller (Dover Publications, 1994), plate 12.
2. Jansen, "8 O'Clock."
Jansen, Franz. "8 O'Clock." 1920. In German Expressionist Woodcuts, edited by Shane Weller. Dover Publications, 1994, plate 12.
Jansen, Franz. "8 O'Clock." 1920. In German Expressionist Woodcuts, edited by Shane Weller. Dover Publications, 1994, plate 12.
2. Artist Surname, Image Title.
Artist Surname, First Name. Image Title. Year. Medium, Size, Location of physical version, accessed date, URL [if applicable].
1. Caspar David Friedrich, Two Men Contemplating the Moon, 1825-30, oil on canvas, 13 3/4 x 17 1/4 in., The Metropolitan Museum of Art, accessed 5 Aug. 2025, https://www.jstor.org/stable/community.18476074.
2. Friedrich, Two Men Contemplating the Moon.
Friedrich, Caspar David. Two Men Contemplating the Moon. 1825-30, oil on canvas, 13 3/4 x 17 1/4 in. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, accessed 5 Aug. 2025, https://www.jstor.org/stable/community.18476074.
For more information on citing images generated from GenAI, please see the Chicago Manual Style, 18th edition, 3.30-3.38: Crediting adapted material.
In the examples below, the AI tool (for example, ChatGPT) is treated as the author, the developer of the AI tool (for example, OpenAI) is treated as the publisher, the date the content was generated is utilized, as well as the AI tool's version number should also be included. The URL should link to a publicly available copy of the content created by GenAI (for more information, see 13.6 and 13.17)
Note: Guidance on citing GenAI is subject to change as style develops its standards. Always check with the publisher of each style for the most current guidance, or consult with your instructor or librarian.
For images created by GenAI models, note its use in the figure caption.
Typically, images are not referenced in the Bibliography or reference list, but if you do include them, you can consider using the format below.
Fig #. Image generated by AI Model & Version number, Date retrieved, from the prompt "Prompt."
Developer of AI tool (Publisher). Response to "Text prompt in quotes." Name and version of AI tool (Author), Date content was generated, Month Day, Year. Public URL that points to the AI generated content
Fig. 1. Image generated by OpenAI, ChaptGPT-4, August 6, 2025, from the prompt "Can you please make a painting in the style of Van Gogh's Starry Night but make it spooky?"
OpenAI. Response to "Can you please make a painting in the style of Van Gogh's Starry Night but make it spooky?" ChatGPT-4, August 6, 2025. https://chatgpt.com/share/6893a935-d854-8001-aaa7-4e2023f0622e