diff --git a/nbconvert/templates/html/basic.tpl b/nbconvert/templates/html/basic.tpl
index 110e86423..8db34c1ba 100644
--- a/nbconvert/templates/html/basic.tpl
+++ b/nbconvert/templates/html/basic.tpl
@@ -155,6 +155,10 @@ height={{ height }}
 {%- if output | get_metadata('unconfined', 'image/png') %}
 class="unconfined"
 {%- endif %}
+{%- set alttext=(output | get_metadata('alt', 'image/png')) or (cell | get_metadata('alt')) -%}
+{%- if alttext is not none %}
+alt="{{ alttext }}"
+{%- endif %}
 >
 </div>
 {%- endblock data_png %}
@@ -177,6 +181,10 @@ height={{ height }}
 {%- if output | get_metadata('unconfined', 'image/jpeg') %}
 class="unconfined"
 {%- endif %}
+{%- set alttext=(output | get_metadata('alt', 'image/jpeg')) or (cell | get_metadata('alt')) -%}
+{%- if alttext is not none %}
+alt="{{ alttext }}"
+{%- endif %}
 >
 </div>
 {%- endblock data_jpg %}