16th-century Italian painting · art-to-room palette

The Nativity Color Palette & Paint Colors

This palette is drawn from The Nativity, painted by Fra Bartolommeo between 1504 and 1507 and held by the Art Institute of Chicago. It mixes warm woods and clay tones with soft gray-blue and deep navy, so it suits rooms that want warmth with a calm, grounded feel.

Quick answer

Use the pale peach cream #EECDAF on the walls, with soft gray-blue #B5BEC2 on a large piece such as a sofa or cabinet. Bring in the espresso brown for wood tones, the warm clay for textiles, and brick red as a small accent. Use the deep navy in small amounts, like a door or a single chair, so it anchors the room without closing it in.

Artist: Fra Bartolommeo
Date: 1504–7
Movement: 16th-century Italian painting
Collection: The Art Institute of Chicago
Image license: Public domain (CC0)
Wall color LRV: 65

The Nativity by Fra Bartolommeo — Fra Bartolommeo, *The Nativity*, 1504–7. 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.

deep espresso brown

#45301F · 25.2% · LRV 4

soft gray-blue

#B5BEC2 · 22.7% · LRV 51

pale peach cream

#EECDAF · 19.2% · LRV 65

warm clay tan

#B78266 · 15.1% · LRV 27

deep navy blue

#334664 · 11.5% · LRV 6

brick red

#9B3C2A · 6.3% · LRV 10

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.

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

Detail of the painting where deep espresso brown is strongest — deep espresso brown

Detail of the painting where soft gray-blue is strongest — soft gray-blue

Detail of the painting where pale peach cream is strongest — pale peach cream

Detail of the painting where warm clay tan is strongest — warm clay tan

Detail of the painting where deep navy blue is strongest — deep navy blue

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

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
deep espresso brown `#45301F`	Sherwin-Williams SW 6069 French Roast Close Behr 760B-7 Revival Mahogany Similar	4	Wood and frames
soft gray-blue `#B5BEC2`	Sherwin-Williams SW 6247 Krypton Near-identical Behr MQ5-31 Distant Star Near-identical Valspar 5001-1B Grey Brook Near-identical Farrow & Ball No. 27 Parma Gray Very close	51	Bed, sofa, curtains
pale peach cream `#EECDAF`	Behr S250-2 Almond Biscuit Near-identical Sherwin-Williams SW 6638 Flattering Peach Very close Valspar 2007-6B Peachy Confection Very close Farrow & Ball No. 231 Setting Plaster Close	65	Main walls
warm clay tan `#B78266`	Valspar 2005-7B Terra Cotta Trail Very close Behr MQ1-29 Carmelite Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 7702 Spiced Cider Close Farrow & Ball No. 64 Red Earth Similar	27	One small textile
deep navy blue `#334664`	Behr S550-7 Knighthood Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 9176 Dress Blues Very close Valspar 4011-8 Mystified Similar Farrow & Ball No. 281 Stiffkey Blue Similar	6	Small accents, art, accessories
brick red `#9B3C2A`	Sherwin-Williams SW 7599 Brick Paver Very close Behr S-H-230 Ground Nutmeg Very close Valspar 2011-7 Russet Red Similar Farrow & Ball No. 248 Incarnadine Similar	10	One bold piece

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 peach 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#D1BFB1

In north light, the pale peach wall will look cooler and a little more muted. It still reads as a soft, light surface, so it works well for rooms that need brightness without glare.

South-facing room#F2D3B3

In strong south light, the pale peach wall will look warm and bright, and the gray-blue will appear softer by comparison. Expect the room to feel sunny, so balance it with the deeper brown and navy.

Evening, warm lamps (2700K)#C9A681

Under warm evening bulbs, the peach cream will glow and the clay and brick tones will look richer. The navy and espresso will sink further, which can make a room feel cozy.

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 espresso brown and the rug border takes warm clay tan in every combination.

Mood board

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

pale peach cream

soft gray-blue

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

Rustic Paint Colors: A Whole-House Palette Rustic style

Blue Exterior House Paint: Colors, Trim and Front Doors House exterior · Blue

More palettes like this

Saint Catherine of Alexandria in Prison Paolo Veronese (Paolo Caliari), ca. 1585

Two Children Teasing a Cat Annibale Carracci

The Three Ages of Humans Dosso Dossi (Giovanni de Lutero), ca. 1515

FAQ

Which color should I paint the walls?

Use the pale peach cream #EECDAF for the walls. It has a light value of 65, so it bounces light and keeps a room from feeling heavy. The other colors work best as furniture, textiles and accents against it.

Can I use the deep navy in a small room?

Yes, but use it in small amounts. Try it on a door, a built-in or one chair. A large navy wall in a small room can feel closed in, since its light value is only 6.

How do I use the espresso brown without making the room too dark?

Use the espresso brown #45301F on wood, such as floors, trim or a table, rather than on large walls. Pair it with the pale peach wall so the darkest tone sits in a few places and the room still feels open.

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.