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

Washerwomen Color Palette & Paint Colors

This palette is taken from François Boucher's 1768 oil painting Washerwomen, held at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. It is a set of soft, earthy neutrals with muted greens and warm browns, suited to rooms that want a calm, low-contrast look.

Quick answer

Use the warm putty gray on the main walls and the pale cream white on a lighter wall or ceiling. Put the deep umber on wood trim, doors, or furniture, the sage green on one accent wall, and the dark russet in textiles like cushions or a throw.

Artist: François Boucher
Date: 1768
Movement: 18th-century French painting
Collection: The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Image license: Public domain (CC0)
Wall color LRV: 88

Washerwomen by François Boucher — François Boucher, *Washerwomen*, 1768. 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 putty gray

#C0BBAB · 44.1% · LRV 50

Deep warm umber

#6B6453 · 26.3% · LRV 13

Muted sage green

#7E8571 · 19.1% · LRV 22

Dusky khaki brown

#7D7560 · 8% · LRV 18

Pale cream white

#FFF0D0 · 1.7% · LRV 88

Dark russet brown

#7B594C · 0.8% · LRV 12

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.

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

Detail of the painting where Warm putty gray is strongest — Warm putty gray

Detail of the painting where Deep warm umber is strongest — Deep warm umber

Detail of the painting where Muted sage green is strongest — Muted sage green

Detail of the painting where Dusky khaki brown is strongest — Dusky khaki brown

Detail of the painting where Pale cream white is strongest — Pale cream white

Detail of the painting where Dark russet brown is strongest — Dark russet 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
Warm putty gray `#C0BBAB`	Valspar 5008-1C Sandy Sage Near-identical Sherwin-Williams SW 6170 Techno Gray Near-identical Behr HDC-FL13-10 Wilderness Gray Very close Farrow & Ball No. 283 Drop Cloth Close	50	Bed, sofa, curtains
Deep warm umber `#6B6453`	Behr PPU8-25 Ivy Topiary Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 6166 Eclipse Very close Valspar 6008-2C Prairie Foliage Very close Farrow & Ball No. 290 Salon Drab Close	13	Wood and frames
Muted sage green `#7E8571`	Behr PPU11-18 Cactus Garden Near-identical Valspar 5004-2B Fields of Green Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 6186 Dried Thyme Very close Farrow & Ball No. 292 Treron Close	22	One bold piece
Dusky khaki brown `#7D7560`	Sherwin-Williams SW 7740 Messenger Bag Near-identical Behr N210-5 Caffeine Very close Valspar 5008-2B Ironclad Very close Farrow & Ball No. 290 Salon Drab Similar	18	Small accents, art, accessories
Pale cream white `#FFF0D0`	Valspar 2008-2C Lemon Sorbet Near-identical Behr M270-2 Risotto Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 7561 Lemon Meringue Very close Farrow & Ball No. 2012 House White Close	88	Main walls
Dark russet brown `#7B594C`	Valspar 2001-9A November Foliage Very close Behr QE-15 Iron Oxide Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 6068 Brevity Brown Close Farrow & Ball No. 244 London Clay Similar	12	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 cream white 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#DCD5C6

In north light the warm putty gray at LRV 50 tends to look cooler and flatter. Pair it with warm white trim and warm bulbs to keep it from reading gray.

South-facing room#FFEECC

In strong south light the putty gray stays steady and bright, with its warm yellow undertone showing clearly. This is a good room for the sage accent, which will hold its color well.

Evening, warm lamps (2700K)#D2BA95

Under warm evening bulbs the putty gray takes on a soft, creamy glow. The umber and russet will look richer, so they work well in a room used mainly at night.

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 umber and the rug border takes Dark russet brown in every combination.

Mood board

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

Pale cream white

Warm putty gray

Muted sage green

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

North West Facing Living Room Colors for Cool Mornings and Warm Evenings West-facing · Living room

Olive Green Bedroom Paint Olive green · Bedroom

Green Paint Colors for Living Room Walls, Furniture and Textiles Green · Living room

More palettes like this

Marie Emilie Coignet de Courson (1716–1806) with a Dog Jean Honoré Fragonard, ca. 1769

Putti with a Medallion Charles Dominique Joseph Eisen

The Interrupted Sleep François Boucher, 1750

FAQ

Can I use the darkest colors on a whole room?

The deep umber at LRV 13 and the russet at LRV 12 are very dark. Use them on trim, furniture, or one wall, and keep the main walls in the lighter putty gray or cream so the room still feels open.

Which color should I use in a small room with little daylight?

Use the pale cream white at LRV 88 on the walls. It bounces the most light of the set. Add the warm putty gray on one wall for depth without making the room feel closed in.

Do I need a white ceiling with this palette?

A pale cream ceiling is a good match because it sits close to the main wall tones. A stark bright white can look cold next to the warm yellow undertones of the palette.

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.