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

Comtesse de la Châtre (Marie Charlotte Louise Perrette Aglaé Bontemps, 1762–1848) Color Palette & Paint Colors

This palette comes from Marie Charlotte Louise Perrette Aglaé Bontemps, Comtesse de la Châtre, a 1789 oil portrait by Elisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun in The Metropolitan Museum of Art. It runs from a pale warm cream to near-black browns, and it suits rooms that want warm contrast and a grounded, layered feel.

Quick answer

Use the pale cream for walls and the soft greige for large main surfaces such as a sofa or cabinetry. Put the olive-brown textile tone on upholstery or drapes, the walnut brown on floors or trim, and the amber and charcoal in small touches like cushions, frames, or a single accent wall.

Artist: Elisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun
Date: 1789
Movement: 18th-century French painting
Collection: The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Image license: Public domain (CC0)
Wall color LRV: 74

Comtesse de la Châtre (Marie Charlotte Louise Perrette Aglaé Bontemps, 1762–1848) by Elisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun — Elisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun, *Comtesse de la Châtre (Marie Charlotte Louise Perrette Aglaé Bontemps, 1762–1848)*, 1789. 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.

Smoky charcoal brown

#2F2A23 · 44.2% · LRV 2

Dark olive taupe

#444136 · 18.4% · LRV 5

Pale warm cream

#E4E0CD · 17.4% · LRV 74

Soft warm greige

#B5B19B · 14.3% · LRV 44

Deep walnut brown

#5E4016 · 4.4% · LRV 6

Burnt ochre amber

#885B19 · 1.3% · LRV 13

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.

Comtesse de la Châtre (Marie Charlotte Louise Perrette Aglaé Bontemps, 1762–1848) reduced to its palette colors — The same scene in 6 flat colors.

Detail of the painting where Smoky charcoal brown is strongest — Smoky charcoal brown

Detail of the painting where Dark olive taupe is strongest — Dark olive taupe

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

Detail of the painting where Soft warm greige is strongest — Soft warm greige

Detail of the painting where Deep walnut brown is strongest — Deep walnut brown

Detail of the painting where Burnt ochre amber is strongest — Burnt ochre amber

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
Smoky charcoal brown `#2F2A23`	Behr 790B-7 Bitter Chocolate Close Sherwin-Williams SW 6990 Caviar Similar Farrow & Ball No. 256 Pitch Black Similar Valspar 4011-2 Dark Kettle Black Similar	2	Small accents, art, accessories
Dark olive taupe `#444136`	Sherwin-Williams SW 6174 Andiron Near-identical Behr S-H-710 Dried Leaf Close Valspar 6010-3 Olive Suede Close Farrow & Ball No. 256 Pitch Black Similar	5	One small textile
Pale warm cream `#E4E0CD`	Behr N300-2 Canvas Luggage Near-identical Valspar 7006-15 Presidential White Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 6175 Sagey Very close Farrow & Ball No. 282 Shadow White Very close	74	Main walls
Soft warm greige `#B5B19B`	Farrow & Ball No. 18 French Gray Near-identical Behr BXC-43 Desert Sandstorm Near-identical Sherwin-Williams SW 2860 Sage Very close Valspar 6003-1C Carriage House Very close	44	Bed, sofa, curtains
Deep walnut brown `#5E4016`	Behr 290F-7 Wooden Cabin Close Sherwin-Williams SW 6097 Sturdy Brown Similar	6	Wood and frames
Burnt ochre amber `#885B19`	Behr 300D-7 Spanish Leather Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 6132 Relic Bronze Similar Valspar 3011-5 Autumn Surprise Similar	13	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 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#CACBC3

The cream wall, at LRV 74, still reads light in north light. It will look cooler and a little flatter than it does in warm light.

South-facing room#EAE1CA

In strong south light the cream wall looks brighter and its warm yellow undertone becomes more noticeable. Greige and browns will look clearer and more defined.

Evening, warm lamps (2700K)#C3B193

Under warm evening bulbs the cream turns more golden and the browns and greige deepen into richer, cozier tones. The darkest shades will look softer and less stark.

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 Dark olive taupe in every combination.

Mood board

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

Pale warm cream

Soft warm greige

Burnt ochre amber

Linen

Oiled oak

Lime plaster

Aged brass

Palette card for Comtesse de la Châtre (Marie Charlotte Louise Perrette Aglaé Bontemps, 1762–1848)

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

White Bathroom Paint: Three Shades and What to Pair Them With White · Bathroom

Dark Grey Siding: Four Exterior Schemes From Paintings House exterior · Dark grey

Dark Green House: Forest Green Exterior Paint Colors House exterior · Dark green

More palettes like this

View in the Stables of the Villa of Maecenas, Tivoli François Marius Granet, ca. 1805–10

Louis XV (1710–1774) as a Child Hyacinthe Rigaud, ca. 1716–24

The Stolen Kiss Jean Honoré Fragonard, ca. 1760

FAQ

Can I paint a whole room in the darkest color?

The darkest tone, at LRV 2, absorbs nearly all the light that reaches it. Use it on one wall, built-ins, or a door, and pair it with the cream wall to keep the room from feeling closed in.

Will these colors work in a small room?

Yes, if the cream wall and greige do most of the work. Keep the deeper browns to trim, furniture, or a single feature so the room still reads open.

How should I test these colors before painting?

Paint sample boards or large swatches and look at them in the morning, at midday, and under your evening lamps. Compare each one against the furniture and floor you plan to keep.

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.