18th-century painting · art-to-room palette

Alexander Grant Color Palette & Paint Colors

This palette is built from the browns, ochres, and brick reds of Cosmo Alexander's 1770 portrait, Alexander Grant, held at The Art Institute of Chicago. It suits rooms that want warmth, depth, and a settled, traditional feel.

Quick answer

Use the mid-tone taupe #BEA791 on the main walls, or the paler #E8D4C0 if the room needs more light. Put the deep ochre on larger furniture, the dark brown wood tone on floors or trim, the brick red on one accent piece, and the burnt sienna on textiles.

Artist: Cosmo Alexander
Date: 1770
Movement: 18th-century painting
Collection: The Art Institute of Chicago
Image license: Public domain (CC0)
Wall color LRV: 68

Alexander Grant by Cosmo Alexander — Cosmo Alexander, *Alexander Grant*, 1770. The Art Institute of Chicago, open access. The bar shows each color's measured share of the canvas.

The 6 colors in this painting

Measured from the image and ordered by how much of the canvas they cover. LRV is how much light a color reflects, from 0 for black to 100 for white.

Dark brown wood

#5A3E27 · 29.6% · LRV 6

Deep ochre brown

#7E6341 · 20.2% · LRV 14

Mid taupe sand

#BEA791 · 18.4% · LRV 41

Very dark oxblood

#5A2920 · 13% · LRV 4

Deep brick red

#7A2F22 · 11% · LRV 6

Burnt sienna brown

#9A5D34 · 7.8% · LRV 15

Where each color lives in the painting

Left, every pixel of the canvas snapped to its nearest palette color. Right, the detail where each color is strongest.

Alexander Grant reduced to its palette colors — The same scene in 6 flat colors.

Detail of the painting where Dark brown wood is strongest — Dark brown wood

Detail of the painting where Deep ochre brown is strongest — Deep ochre brown

Detail of the painting where Mid taupe sand is strongest — Mid taupe sand

Detail of the painting where Very dark oxblood is strongest — Very dark oxblood

Detail of the painting where Deep brick red is strongest — Deep brick red

Detail of the painting where Burnt sienna brown is strongest — Burnt sienna brown

Closest paint colors

The nearest color from each brand. “Near-identical” and “Very close” are hard to tell apart on a wall; with “Similar”, compare a sample with the painting. Brands with nothing close are left out.

Painting color	Closest paints	LRV	Use it for
Dark brown wood `#5A3E27`	Behr 280F-7 Breakfast Blend Close Sherwin-Williams SW 6090 Java Close Valspar 2009-10 Roasted Coffee Similar	6	Wood and frames
Deep ochre brown `#7E6341`	Sherwin-Williams SW 6139 Mossy Gold Very close Behr UL180-26 Bazaar Very close Valspar 3006-9A Grecian Helmet Close Farrow & Ball No. 290 Salon Drab Similar	14	Bed, sofa, curtains
Mid taupe sand `#BEA791`	Valspar 3001-10A Boulder Beige Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 6101 Sands of Time Very close Behr MQ2-40 French Pastry Very close Farrow & Ball No. 6 London Stone Very close	41	Main walls
Very dark oxblood `#5A2920`	Sherwin-Williams SW 2802 Rookwood Red Close Behr 200F-7 Wine Barrel Similar Valspar 1010-5 Spanish Tile Similar	4	Small accents, art, accessories
Deep brick red `#7A2F22`	Sherwin-Williams SW 2839 Roycroft Copper Red Very close Behr S-H-200 New Brick Close Valspar 1010-3 Heirloom Red Similar	6	One bold piece
Burnt sienna brown `#9A5D34`	Behr 260D-7 Copper Mountain Close Sherwin-Williams SW 6356 Copper Mountain Close Valspar 3011-6 Toffee Glaze Close	15	One small textile

Paint names belong to their brands. Matches are measured from screen colors and are approximate; Light & Pigment is not affiliated with any paint brand.

This painting has no light tone, so the wall color above is a lightened version of its palest color (#E8D4C0).

How the lightest tone looks in your light

The wall color shifted for the light it will live in. Check the version closest to your room before buying a sample.

North-facing room#CDC4BB

North light is cooler and softer, so the pale wall color will read a little greyer and calmer than it does in warmer light. The deep ochre and brown tones will look richer and more settled.

South-facing room#EDD8C0

Strong south light brings out the warm yellow in the wall color and makes the mid taupe look bright and golden. Dark tones like the wood brown and oxblood will hold their depth without looking flat.

Evening, warm lamps (2700K)#C5AB8B

Warm evening bulbs push these colors toward amber and orange, which suits the palette well. The walls will feel cozier, and the dark browns and brick red will look deep and glowing.

Try the palette in a room

Pick which painting color goes on the walls, the big furniture and the bold piece. Floors, shadows and light follow your choices.

Walls

Bed, sofa, island

Bold piece

Wood takes Dark brown wood and the rug border takes Burnt sienna brown in every combination.

Mood board

Details from the painting next to the colors and materials that carry them into a room.

Mid taupe sand

Deep ochre brown

Deep brick red

Linen

Oiled oak

Lime plaster

Aged brass

Save this palette

A card with the painting, all 6 colors and a room scheme. Pin it, or take it to the paint store.

Save to Pinterest Download card

Guides that use colors from this painting

Red Color for a Bedroom: Three Shades and What to Pair Them With Red · Bedroom

Basement Bedroom Paint Colors for Rooms With Little Light Dark room · Bedroom

More palettes like this

John Philip Kemble Martin Archer Shee, c. 1795

Portrait of Emperor Jahangir Mughal, c. 1800

New England Country Seat Artist unknown, 1800–20

FAQ

Can I paint a whole room in the darkest color?

The darkest tones measure at LRV 4 to 6, so they read very dark and absorb a lot of light. Most homes do better with the darkest color on one feature, such as a door, cabinet, or built-in, and a lighter wall around it.

Is the pale wall color taken directly from the painting?

No. The painting has no light tone, so #E8D4C0 is a lightened version of its palest color. The mid taupe #BEA791 is the color measured directly from the canvas.

How do I check these colors before buying paint?

The paint matches listed on each color are the closest commercial matches to the measured values, not exact copies. Test a sample on the wall and look at it in morning, midday, and evening light before you commit.

Image: The Art Institute of Chicago, Public domain (CC0). Palette, posterized image, details and room views generated by Light & Pigment from that image. Colors look different on screen than on a wall, so always test a sample.