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

The First Communion Color Palette & Paint Colors

This palette comes from Eugène Carrière's oil painting The First Communion, ca. 1896, in the collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art. It is a set of warm, earthy neutrals, from near-black browns to a pale oat tone, and it suits rooms that want a quiet, enclosed feel.

Quick answer

Use #BBB29A on the walls and #A49A86 for large pieces such as cabinets or an upholstered sofa. Bring in #6D5B47 for wood, #8B806D for textiles like rugs and curtains, and keep #393529 for small accents such as a door or picture frame.

Artist: Eugène Carrière
Date: ca. 1896
Movement: 19th-century French painting
Collection: The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Image license: Public domain (CC0)
Wall color LRV: 68

The First Communion by Eugène Carrière — Eugène Carrière, *The First Communion*, ca. 1896. 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 Umber Shadow

#393529 · 24.4% · LRV 4

Smoky Warm Brown

#4E4539 · 22% · LRV 6

Soft Taupe Stone

#A49A86 · 16.1% · LRV 33

Walnut Brown Wood

#6D5B47 · 14.9% · LRV 11

Weathered Khaki Taupe

#8B806D · 12.6% · LRV 22

Pale Oat Linen

#BBB29A · 9.9% · LRV 45

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.

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

Detail of the painting where Deep Umber Shadow is strongest — Deep Umber Shadow

Detail of the painting where Smoky Warm Brown is strongest — Smoky Warm Brown

Detail of the painting where Soft Taupe Stone is strongest — Soft Taupe Stone

Detail of the painting where Walnut Brown Wood is strongest — Walnut Brown Wood

Detail of the painting where Weathered Khaki Taupe is strongest — Weathered Khaki Taupe

Detail of the painting where Pale Oat Linen is strongest — Pale Oat Linen

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 Umber Shadow `#393529`	Behr N210-7 Havana Coffee Close Sherwin-Williams SW 6174 Andiron Close Farrow & Ball No. 256 Pitch Black Similar Valspar 6011-1 Fired Earth Similar	4	One bold piece
Smoky Warm Brown `#4E4539`	Sherwin-Williams SW 7055 Enduring Bronze Close Behr PPU5-01 Espresso Beans Close Valspar 6010-2 Deep Earth Close Farrow & Ball No. 255 Tanner's Brown Similar	6	Small accents, art, accessories
Soft Taupe Stone `#A49A86`	Behr N230-4 Chic Taupe Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 7739 Herbal Wash Very close Valspar 3007-9C Wild Mushroom Close Farrow & Ball No. 17 Light Gray Close	33	Bed, sofa, curtains
Walnut Brown Wood `#6D5B47`	Behr N240-7 Joshua Tree Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 6153 Protégé Bronze Close Valspar 3011-8 Dark Earth Close Farrow & Ball No. 290 Salon Drab Close	11	Wood and frames
Weathered Khaki Taupe `#8B806D`	Behr N230-5 Dry Brown Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 6172 Hardware Very close Valspar 6007-2B Wild Hawk Close Farrow & Ball No. 40 Mouse's Back Close	22	One small textile
Pale Oat Linen `#BBB29A`	Behr 700D-4 Brown Teepee Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 7543 Avenue Tan Very close Farrow & Ball No. 18 French Gray Very close Valspar 6008-2A Transitional Tan Close	45	Main walls

Paint names belong to their brands. Matches are measured from screen colors and are approximate; Light & Pigment is not affiliated with any paint brand.

This painting has no light tone, so the wall color above is a lightened version of its palest color (#DFD7C2).

How the lightest tone 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#C7C6BD

North light is cool and even, so warm yellow undertones can look flat or grayish. The lighter wall color, #DFD7C2, keeps a soft warmth and stops the room from feeling dim.

South-facing room#E6DAC1

Strong south light brings out the yellow in these colors and makes the room feel warm and bright. The wall color #DFD7C2 will look its warmest here, so check a large swatch in the morning and afternoon before deciding.

Evening, warm lamps (2700K)#C0AC8C

Warm evening bulbs deepen the browns and push the yellow undertones forward. The room will feel cozy, but the darker shades may close in, so a few lighter textiles help.

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 Walnut Brown Wood and the rug border takes Weathered Khaki Taupe in every combination.

Mood board

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

Pale Oat Linen

Soft Taupe Stone

Deep Umber Shadow

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

More palettes like this

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Henri Degas and His Niece Lucie Degas (The Artist's Uncle and Cousin) Hilaire Germain Edgar Degas, 1875–76

Joan of Arc Jules Bastien-Lepage, 1879

FAQ

Which color should I use for the walls?

Use #BBB29A as the main wall color, since it is the wall tone measured from the painting. If you want a lighter result, #DFD7C2 is a lightened version of the palest color in the set.

Can I use the darkest colors in a small room?

Use #393529 and #4E4539 in small amounts only, such as on a door, trim, or a single piece of furniture. Too much of either can make a small room feel closed in.

How do I match these colors to paint?

Each color on this page lists its closest commercial paint match as measured from the painting. Treat these matches as starting points, and test a sample on your own wall before buying a full can.

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.