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

After the Bullfight Color Palette & Paint Colors

This palette comes from Mary Cassatt's 1873 oil painting "After the Bullfight," held by The Art Institute of Chicago. It is built on warm browns, red-browns, and one soft peach, so it suits rooms that should feel grounded, cozy, and earthy.

Quick answer

Use the soft peach on the walls, since it is the lightest tone and keeps the room from feeling heavy. Put the mid camel tan on large pieces as the main color, and use the deep brick red and dark brown in smaller doses on accents, textiles, and wood.

Artist: Mary Cassatt
Date: 1873
Movement: 19th-century painting
Collection: The Art Institute of Chicago
Image license: Public domain (CC0)
Wall color LRV: 57

After the Bullfight by Mary Cassatt — Mary Cassatt, *After the Bullfight*, 1873. The Art Institute of Chicago, 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 warm brown

#47342B · 42.3% · LRV 4

Deep khaki taupe

#6B6154 · 39.7% · LRV 12

Mid camel tan

#A38064 · 6% · LRV 24

Deep brick red

#843D30 · 5% · LRV 9

Dark chestnut brown

#64342B · 4% · LRV 5

Soft peach blush

#F0BB9D · 2.9% · LRV 57

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.

After the Bullfight reduced to its palette colors — The same scene in 6 flat colors.

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

Detail of the painting where Deep khaki taupe is strongest — Deep khaki taupe

Detail of the painting where Mid camel tan is strongest — Mid camel tan

Detail of the painting where Deep brick red is strongest — Deep brick red

Detail of the painting where Dark chestnut brown is strongest — Dark chestnut brown

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

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 warm brown `#47342B`	Sherwin-Williams SW 6076 Turkish Coffee Very close Behr S-G-760 Chocolate Coco Very close Farrow & Ball No. 36 Mahogany Similar Valspar 1011-8 Antique Burgundy Similar	4	Small accents, art, accessories
Deep khaki taupe `#6B6154`	Sherwin-Williams SW 7026 Griffin Very close Valspar 6008-2C Prairie Foliage Very close Behr N180-6 Derby Very close Farrow & Ball No. 290 Salon Drab Very close	12	Wood and frames
Mid camel tan `#A38064`	Behr MQ2-11 Outdoor Land Near-identical Sherwin-Williams SW 9092 Iced Mocha Very close Valspar 2007-7B Rustic Oak Very close Farrow & Ball No. 40 Mouse's Back Similar	24	Bed, sofa, curtains
Deep brick red `#843D30`	Sherwin-Williams SW 6335 Fired Brick Very close Behr S180-7 True Copper Very close Valspar 2002-5A Decadent Red Similar Farrow & Ball No. 43 Eating Room Red Similar	9	One bold piece
Dark chestnut brown `#64342B`	Sherwin-Williams SW 2802 Rookwood Red Close Behr S170-7 Dark Cherry Mocha Close Valspar 1010-5 Spanish Tile Close Farrow & Ball No. 297 Preference Red Similar	5	One small textile
Soft peach blush `#F0BB9D`	Sherwin-Williams SW 6625 Certain Peach Very close Behr M220-3 Carving Party Very close Valspar 2006-4A Peach Taffy Close Farrow & Ball No. 231 Setting Plaster Similar	57	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.

How soft peach blush 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#D2B3A5

North light is cooler and softer, so the peach wall can look flatter and slightly dusty. It works best in rooms where you want a calm, muted warmth.

South-facing room#F3C4A4

Strong south light brings out the warmth in the peach, making it look brighter and more saturated than the swatch. Test a large sample during midday, since the wall may read more orange than expected.

Evening, warm lamps (2700K)#CA9C77

Warm evening bulbs push the red-orange undertone forward, so the peach becomes richer and the browns look deeper. This is a good setting for the palette, but keep the brick red accents limited so the room does not feel overheated.

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 khaki taupe and the rug border takes Dark chestnut brown in every combination.

Mood board

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

Soft peach blush

Mid camel tan

Deep brick red

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

Rustic Paint Colors: A Whole-House Palette Rustic style

North Facing Kitchen Colors: Warm Paints That Balance Cool Light North-facing · Kitchen

More palettes like this

The Herring Net Winslow Homer, 1885

A City Park William Merritt Chase, c. 1887

The Advance-Guard, or The Military Sacrifice (The Ambush) Frederic Remington, 1890

FAQ

Which color should I use on the walls?

Use the soft peach blush, #F0BB9D, on the walls. It has an LRV of 57, so it reads light without being stark, and it keeps the darker browns from closing in on the room.

Can I use the dark browns in a small room?

Yes, but use them in limited areas. The deepest tones, such as #47342B with an LRV of 4, can make a small room feel enclosed if they cover the walls, so save them for trim, a door, or a piece of furniture.

How do I add the brick red without overwhelming the room?

Use the deep brick red, #843D30, in small amounts, such as a single cushion, a vase, or a rug edge. Keep it to about 5 percent of the room's visible color so it adds interest instead of dominating the space.

Image: The Art Institute of Chicago, 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.