17th-century Dutch painting · art-to-room palette

Portrait of an Old Woman Color Palette & Paint Colors

This palette comes from Jacob Backer's oil portrait "Portrait of an Old Woman," held by The Metropolitan Museum of Art. It moves from deep browns and near-black to a pale warm cream, so it suits rooms that want warmth, depth and a little contrast.

Quick answer

Use the pale warm cream #FDE2C3 on the walls and the muted terracotta #D09473 as the main color on larger surfaces. Keep the deep browns #483A30 and #674E3A for accents and wood, and use the light peach #F4BD98 for textiles like curtains or cushions.

Artist: Jacob Backer
Movement: 17th-century Dutch painting
Collection: The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Image license: Public domain (CC0)
Wall color LRV: 79

Portrait of an Old Woman by Jacob Backer — Jacob Backer, *Portrait of an Old Woman*. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 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.

Warm Umber Brown

#483A30 · 44.8% · LRV 5

Soft Black Charcoal

#1C1C1B · 31.3% · LRV 1

Deep Walnut Brown

#674E3A · 14.1% · LRV 9

Muted Terracotta Clay

#D09473 · 5.6% · LRV 36

Pale Warm Cream

#FDE2C3 · 2.5% · LRV 79

Light Peach Apricot

#F4BD98 · 1.7% · LRV 58

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.

Portrait of an Old Woman reduced to its palette colors — The same scene in 6 flat colors.

Detail of the painting where Warm Umber Brown is strongest — Warm Umber Brown

Detail of the painting where Soft Black Charcoal is strongest — Soft Black Charcoal

Detail of the painting where Deep Walnut Brown is strongest — Deep Walnut Brown

Detail of the painting where Muted Terracotta Clay is strongest — Muted Terracotta Clay

Detail of the painting where Pale Warm Cream is strongest — Pale Warm Cream

Detail of the painting where Light Peach Apricot is strongest — Light Peach Apricot

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
Warm Umber Brown `#483A30`	Sherwin-Williams SW 9183 Dark Clove Very close Behr 760B-7 Revival Mahogany Very close Valspar 1011-10 Brown Velvet Similar Farrow & Ball No. 36 Mahogany Similar	5	One bold piece
Soft Black Charcoal `#1C1C1B`	Sherwin-Williams SW 6258 Tricorn Black Similar Behr 770F-7 Beluga Similar Farrow & Ball No. 256 Pitch Black Similar	1	Small accents, art, accessories
Deep Walnut Brown `#674E3A`	Sherwin-Williams SW 6104 Kaffee Very close Behr 250F-7 Melted Chocolate Very close Valspar 3011-8 Dark Earth Close Farrow & Ball No. 290 Salon Drab Similar	9	Wood and frames
Muted Terracotta Clay `#D09473`	Valspar 2004-5C Laredo Near-identical Behr MQ4-37 Ferrous Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 6353 Chivalry Copper Very close Farrow & Ball No. 64 Red Earth Similar	36	Bed, sofa, curtains
Pale Warm Cream `#FDE2C3`	Valspar 2006-2C Sisal Very close Behr QE-18 Moonglow Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 6365 Cachet Cream Very close Farrow & Ball No. 203 Tallow Close	79	Main walls
Light Peach Apricot `#F4BD98`	Valspar 2006-4A Peach Taffy Very close Behr M230-4 Cactus Blooms Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 9007 Melón Meloso Very close Farrow & Ball No. 231 Setting Plaster Similar	58	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.

How pale warm cream 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#DACCBE

North light is cooler and softer, so the pale cream #FDE2C3 can look slightly flatter. Its high light reflectance of 79 still keeps the room bright.

South-facing room#FDE3C2

Strong south light makes the warm cream #FDE2C3 glow and brings out its yellow undertone. Expect the room to feel bright and warm through the day.

Evening, warm lamps (2700K)#D1B38D

Under warm evening bulbs the cream #FDE2C3 and the terracotta #D09473 take on a golden, cozy feel. The deep browns will look richer and the room will feel more enclosed.

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 Deep Walnut Brown and the rug border takes Light Peach Apricot in every combination.

Mood board

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

Pale Warm Cream

Muted Terracotta Clay

Warm Umber Brown

Linen

Oiled oak

Lime plaster

Aged brass

Palette card for Portrait of an Old Woman

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

Craftsman Exterior Color Scheme: 4 Complete Palettes for Walls, Trim and Door House exterior · Craftsman

More palettes like this

The Musician Bartholomeus van der Helst, 1662

Vanitas Still Life Edwaert Collier, 1662

Portrait of a Man Rembrandt (Rembrandt van Rijn), 1632

FAQ

Can I paint a whole room in the darkest colors?

The darkest tones, #483A30 and #1C1C1B, work best on one accent wall, a door, or trim. Using them across a full room can make the space feel closed in, especially with low light.

What is a good wall color for a small room?

The pale warm cream #FDE2C3 has a light reflectance of 79, so it bounces light well. It suits small rooms that need to feel open and bright.

How do I add the peach tone without overwhelming the room?

Use the light peach #F4BD98 in textiles such as cushions, throws or curtains. These pieces add warmth and soften the browns without covering large surfaces.

Image: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 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.