North-facing room
#DCC7B4North light is cooler and softer, so the pale apricot can look a little muted and greyer than the swatch. Its LRV of 74 still keeps the room bright, and the warm undertone helps counter the cool daylight.
15th-century Italian painting · art-to-room palette
Portrait of a Young Man Color Palette & Paint Colors
This palette is built from a pale apricot, dusty rose, rust and umber browns, and two very deep tones of olive-black and ink blue, all measured from Cosmè Tura's Portrait of a Young Man, a 1470s tempera on wood at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. It suits rooms that want warmth and depth, especially where the walls are light and a few dark, earthy pieces carry the contrast.
Quick answer
Use the pale apricot on the walls, with the dusty rose as the main large piece such as a sofa or armchair. Put the dark olive-black on textiles like rugs or curtains, the umber on wood, and the deep rust as a small accent in pillows or art.
- Date
- 1470s
- Movement
- 15th-century Italian painting
- Collection
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art
- Image license
- Public domain (CC0)
- Wall color LRV
- 74
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.
Pale apricot cream
Dark olive black
Deep ink blue
Warm umber brown
Deep rust brown
Dusty rose mauve
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.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
Pale apricot cream#FFD9B6 |
|
74 | Main walls |
Dark olive black#343425 |
|
3 | One small textile |
Deep ink blue#1A3037 |
|
3 | Small accents, art, accessories |
Warm umber brown#7B6953 |
|
15 | Wood and frames |
Deep rust brown#7D5252 |
|
11 | One bold piece |
Dusty rose mauve#AF8687 |
|
28 | Bed, sofa, curtains |
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.
South-facing room
#FFDCB8Strong south light brings out the warmth in the apricot and makes it glow. The dusty rose and rust will look richer, and the dark olive and ink blue will read as deep, clear anchors.
Evening, warm lamps (2700K)
#D2AD86Under warm evening bulbs the apricot and rust deepen and take on more amber. The dusty rose may look warmer and slightly stronger, so test it under your own lamps before committing to a large piece.
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.
Wood takes Warm umber brown and the rug border takes Dark olive black in every combination.
Mood board
Details from the painting next to the colors and materials that carry them into a room.
Pale apricot cream
Dusty rose mauve
Deep rust brown
Save this palette
A card with the painting, all 6 colors and a room scheme. Pin it, or take it to the paint store.
Guides that use colors from this painting
More palettes like this
FAQ
Can I paint all four walls in the pale apricot?
You can, since its LRV of 74 reads light and bounces light around the room. In a small or dim room it will feel open and warm. If the room gets little daylight, check the color under your lamps first.
Will the very dark olive black make a small room feel closed in?
It can, because its LRV of 3 absorbs most light. Use it on textiles such as a rug, curtains or a throw rather than on walls. This keeps the depth in the room without shrinking it.
Where should the deep ink blue go?
This palette does not assign it a room role, so treat it as a single accent. A door, a small chair or a framed piece can hold it well. Keep it to one or two spots so the warm colors stay in charge.
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.