19th-century painting · art-to-room palette

Capture of the Tripoli by the Enterprise Color Palette & Paint Colors

This palette comes from Thomas Birch's oil painting "Capture of the Tripoli by the Enterprise" (1806–12), held by The Art Institute of Chicago. It pairs a soft slate grey and a pale apricot with deep olive, camel and sand tones, which suits a room that wants warmth without going fully yellow.

Quick answer

Use the pale apricot on the walls and the soft slate grey on a large piece such as a sofa or cabinet. Bring in the deep olive for wood, the camel for one accent, and the light sand for textiles.

Artist: Thomas Birch
Date: 1806–12
Movement: 19th-century painting
Collection: The Art Institute of Chicago
Image license: Public domain (CC0)
Wall color LRV: 78

Capture of the Tripoli by the Enterprise by Thomas Birch — Thomas Birch, *Capture of the Tripoli by the Enterprise*, 1806–12. 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.

Soft Slate Grey

#8F9290 · 41.3% · LRV 28

Deep Charcoal Black

#1D1D1F · 27.7% · LRV 1

Deep Warm Olive

#66604D · 12.8% · LRV 12

Pale Apricot Cream

#F9E1CD · 9.4% · LRV 78

Muted Camel Gold

#B09366 · 5.8% · LRV 31

Light Warm Sand

#F5D1A0 · 3.1% · LRV 68

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.

Capture of the Tripoli by the Enterprise reduced to its palette colors — The same scene in 6 flat colors.

Detail of the painting where Soft Slate Grey is strongest — Soft Slate Grey

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

Detail of the painting where Deep Warm Olive is strongest — Deep Warm Olive

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

Detail of the painting where Muted Camel Gold is strongest — Muted Camel Gold

Detail of the painting where Light Warm Sand is strongest — Light Warm Sand

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
Soft Slate Grey `#8F9290`	Sherwin-Williams SW 9163 Tin Lizzie Very close Farrow & Ball No. 272 Plummett Very close Behr HDC-AC-19 Grant Gray Very close Valspar 4008-2A City Storm Close	28	Bed, sofa, curtains
Deep Charcoal Black `#1D1D1F`	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 Warm Olive `#66604D`	Behr PPU8-25 Ivy Topiary Near-identical Valspar 6010-4 Amazon Silt Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 6167 Garden Gate Close Farrow & Ball No. 290 Salon Drab Similar	12	Wood and frames
Pale Apricot Cream `#F9E1CD`	Behr 300C-2 Sand Dollar White Near-identical Valspar 2002-2C Peach Kiss Near-identical Sherwin-Williams SW 35 Indian White Close Farrow & Ball No. 202 Pink Ground Close	78	Main walls
Muted Camel Gold `#B09366`	Valspar 3005-9B Hot-Crossed Bun Near-identical Sherwin-Williams SW 43 Peristyle Brass Very close Behr S280-5 Windswept Leaves Very close Farrow & Ball No. 66 India Yellow Similar	31	One bold piece
Light Warm Sand `#F5D1A0`	Sherwin-Williams SW 6660 Honey Blush Near-identical Behr QE-19 September Sun Very close Valspar 3002-6B Amber Waves Very close Farrow & Ball No. 68 Dorset Cream Close	68	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 apricot 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#D8CCC3

In north light the apricot wall, at LRV 78, stays bright but looks cooler and more muted. Its warm undertone will read softer than the swatch.

South-facing room#FAE2CA

Strong south light brings out the apricot and makes the wall look warmer and clearer. The room will feel bright, so balance it with the deeper olive and slate tones.

Evening, warm lamps (2700K)#CFB293

Under warm evening bulbs the apricot shifts toward a richer orange-gold. The camel and sand tones will also look more golden, so keep the overall scheme cohesive by testing with your own lamps.

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 Warm Olive and the rug border takes Light Warm Sand in every combination.

Mood board

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

Pale Apricot Cream

Soft Slate Grey

Muted Camel Gold

Linen

Oiled oak

Lime plaster

Aged brass

Palette card for Capture of the Tripoli by the Enterprise

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

Farmhouse Exterior Colors: Four Palettes for Siding, Trim and Door House exterior · Farmhouse

Grey Kitchen Paint: Three Shades From Paintings and What to Pair With Them Grey · Kitchen

Brown Roof House Colors: Four Exterior Schemes That Work Brown roof

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FAQ

Can I paint a whole room in the soft slate grey?

The slate grey has an LRV of 28, so it reads as a mid-dark tone and can feel heavy across four walls. It works better on one wall, on built-ins, or on a large piece of furniture.

Where should I use the deep charcoal black?

The charcoal is very dark, with an LRV of 1, so use it in small amounts. Door frames, picture frames or a narrow accent strip will add depth without overwhelming the room.

How do I check these colors in my own room?

Paint a large sample board or a test patch on the wall you plan to use. View it in morning light, midday sun and under your evening lamps 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.