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

Saint Catherine of Alexandria in Prison Color Palette & Paint Colors

This palette is built from a painting that is mostly deep shadow, with warm browns, tans and a pale apricot cream rising out of it. It suits rooms that should feel warm and enclosed, such as a dining room, a study or a bedroom with a reading corner.

Quick answer

Use the pale apricot cream #F9C892 on the main walls. Put the golden tan #BF966D on a large piece such as a sofa or a feature wall, and the clay taupe #9F7D62 on textiles. Use the deep umber #705642 and walnut brown #8C6138 for furniture, trim or a single accent wall, and keep the near-black #181310 for small details, not large surfaces.

Artist: Paolo Veronese (Paolo Caliari)
Date: ca. 1585
Movement: 16th-century Italian painting
Collection: The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Image license: Public domain (CC0)
Wall color LRV: 64

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

Deep neutral black

#181310 · 71.9% · LRV 1

Deep warm umber

#705642 · 15.2% · LRV 11

Warm clay taupe

#9F7D62 · 5.7% · LRV 23

Warm golden sand

#BF966D · 3.2% · LRV 34

Soft peach cream

#F9C892 · 3.2% · LRV 64

Rich walnut brown

#8C6138 · 0.8% · LRV 14

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.

Saint Catherine of Alexandria in Prison reduced to its palette colors — The same scene in 6 flat colors.

Detail of the painting where Deep neutral black is strongest — Deep neutral black

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

Detail of the painting where Warm clay taupe is strongest — Warm clay taupe

Detail of the painting where Warm golden sand is strongest — Warm golden sand

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

Detail of the painting where Rich walnut brown is strongest — Rich walnut 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
Deep neutral black `#181310`	Sherwin-Williams SW 6258 Tricorn Black Similar	1	Small accents, art, accessories
Deep warm umber `#705642`	Valspar 3011-8 Dark Earth Near-identical Behr PPU4-20 Ancient Root Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 6146 Umber Very close Farrow & Ball No. 290 Salon Drab Similar	11	One bold piece
Warm clay taupe `#9F7D62`	Behr MQ2-11 Outdoor Land Near-identical Sherwin-Williams SW 2823 Rookwood Clay Very close Valspar 2007-7B Rustic Oak Very close Farrow & Ball No. 40 Mouse's Back Similar	23	One small textile
Warm golden sand `#BF966D`	Sherwin-Williams SW 7680 Lanyard Very close Behr HDC-CL-15 Burnished Caramel Very close Valspar 3004-7B Lariat Tan Very close Farrow & Ball No. 66 India Yellow Similar	34	Bed, sofa, curtains
Soft peach cream `#F9C892`	Behr 300C-3 Bagel Near-identical Sherwin-Williams SW 6653 Delicious Melon Very close Valspar 3001-4A Almond Butter Very close Farrow & Ball No. 218 Yellow Ground Similar	64	Main walls
Rich walnut brown `#8C6138`	Sherwin-Williams SW 6118 Leather Bound Very close Behr S260-7 Nugget Gold Very close Valspar 3011-5 Autumn Surprise Similar	14	Wood and frames

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 soft 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#D8BC9D

In north light the pale apricot cream on the walls will look softer and a little cooler. It stays light enough to brighten a room, but it may read more muted than the swatch.

South-facing room#FACF9C

Strong south light makes the apricot cream look warm and bright. The golden and clay tones may also look more saturated, so test a large sample before committing.

Evening, warm lamps (2700K)#CFA471

Under warm evening bulbs the apricot cream takes on a deeper glow, and the browns look richer. The room will feel cozy, but the yellow and orange tones will be more pronounced.

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 Rich walnut brown and the rug border takes Warm clay taupe in every combination.

Mood board

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

Soft peach cream

Warm golden sand

Deep warm umber

Linen

Oiled oak

Lime plaster

Aged brass

Palette card for Saint Catherine of Alexandria in Prison

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

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

More palettes like this

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Portrait of a Man in Profile Italian Painter

Allegory of Avarice Jacopo Ligozzi

FAQ

Can I paint a whole room in the near-black?

The near-black is very dark, with an LRV of 1, so it absorbs almost all light. It works better as a small detail, such as a door, a frame or a narrow shelf, than as a full room color.

Which color should I use for the ceiling?

The pale apricot cream is the lightest color in the palette, so it is the most practical choice for a ceiling that should feel open. Keep the ceiling lighter than the walls to avoid a heavy feel.

How do I pair these colors with white trim?

A warm white trim will suit the apricot cream and golden sand well. Use it to separate the walls from the deeper umber and walnut pieces so the room does not feel too dark.

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.