How To Cite An Image In Harvard Style

When using images in academic writing or research projects, it is important to give proper credit to the original creator. Citing an image correctly in Harvard style ensures that you avoid plagiarism and acknowledge the source of the visual material. Whether the image comes from a book, website, or online database, the Harvard referencing system provides a clear format for in-text citations and reference lists.

1. Basic Format for Citing an Image

In Harvard style, the general format for citing an image is:

Creator’s surname, Initial(s). (Year) Title of image, [type of image]. Place of publication: Publisher (if available). Available at: URL (Accessed: Date).

This format can be adjusted depending on where the image was sourced from.

2. Citing an Image from a Website

If the image was found online, include the creator’s name, year, title, and the web address. For example:

Reference list:
Van Gogh, V. (1889) Starry Night, [painting]. Available at: https://www.vangoghmuseum.nl/en (Accessed: 18 October 2025).

In-text citation:
(Van Gogh, 1889)

If no author is listed, use the organisation or website name:

Reference list:
National Geographic (2024) Elephant in the wild, [photograph]. Available at: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/ (Accessed: 18 October 2025).

In-text citation:
(National Geographic, 2024)

3. Citing an Image from a Book

When the image is from a printed source such as a book, include the author of the book, year, title, and page number where the image appears.

Reference list:
Smith, J. (2019) History of Modern Art. London: Thames & Hudson, p. 45.

In-text citation:
(Smith, 2019, p. 45)

If the image has a specific title or caption, you can include it after the book title:

Reference list:
Smith, J. (2019) History of Modern Art: “Cubist Portrait”, [photograph]. London: Thames & Hudson, p. 45.

4. Citing an Image from an Online Database or Museum Archive

Many images come from online archives or museum databases. Include the institution name and the database or collection link.

Reference list:
British Museum (2022) Ancient Greek Vase, [digital image]. Available at: https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection (Accessed: 18 October 2025).

In-text citation:
(British Museum, 2022)

5. Citing an Image You Created

If you use your own photograph or artwork, you should still label it clearly. No formal citation is needed in the reference list, but you can include a note below the image such as:

Figure 1: Photograph taken by the author (2025).

This makes it clear that the work is original and not borrowed from another source.

6. Citing an Image Without a Date or Author

If no date or author is available, use ‘n.d.’ for “no date” and describe the source as best as possible.

Reference list:
Unknown (n.d.) Vintage Map of Cape Town, [map]. Available at: https://www.mapsarchive.co.za/ (Accessed: 18 October 2025).

In-text citation:
(Unknown, n.d.)

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