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

Madame Cézanne (Hortense Fiquet, 1850–1922) in a Red Dress Color Palette & Paint Colors

This palette is measured from Paul Cézanne's Madame Cézanne in a Red Dress (1888–90), held at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. It suits rooms that need calm, muted color with one warm note.

Quick answer

Use the pale honey ochre on the walls and the soft sea glass as the main color on larger pieces such as a sofa or cabinet. Bring in the clay coral on textiles, and use the dusky rose brown and deep charcoal teal sparingly as accents.

Artist: Paul Cézanne
Date: 1888–90
Movement: 19th-century French painting
Collection: The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Image license: Public domain (CC0)
Wall color LRV: 50

Madame Cézanne (Hortense Fiquet, 1850–1922) in a Red Dress by Paul Cézanne — Paul Cézanne, *Madame Cézanne (Hortense Fiquet, 1850–1922) in a Red Dress*, 1888–90. 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.

Muted slate blue-grey

#7B9395 · 31.5% · LRV 27

Deep charcoal teal

#324042 · 22% · LRV 5

Dusky rose brown

#725152 · 18.9% · LRV 10

Warm clay coral

#CD8F83 · 10.8% · LRV 34

Soft sea glass

#92B1AF · 10.3% · LRV 41

Pale honey ochre

#DDB57F · 6.5% · LRV 50

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.

Madame Cézanne (Hortense Fiquet, 1850–1922) in a Red Dress reduced to its palette colors — The same scene in 6 flat colors.

Detail of the painting where Muted slate blue-grey is strongest — Muted slate blue-grey

Detail of the painting where Deep charcoal teal is strongest — Deep charcoal teal

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

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

Detail of the painting where Soft sea glass is strongest — Soft sea glass

Detail of the painting where Pale honey ochre is strongest — Pale honey ochre

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
Muted slate blue-grey `#7B9395`	Sherwin-Williams SW 6221 Moody Blue Near-identical Valspar 5002-4B Villa Blue Very close Behr QE-53 Raindance Very close Farrow & Ball No. 86 Stone Blue Close	27	Small accents, art, accessories
Deep charcoal teal `#324042`	Behr N450-7 Astronomical Near-identical Sherwin-Williams SW 2809 Rookwood Shutter Green Close Valspar 5010-3 Deep River Green Close Farrow & Ball No. 30 Hague Blue Similar	5	Small accents, art, accessories
Dusky rose brown `#725152`	Valspar 1005-7A Crabapple Wine Very close Behr MQ1-53 Rosy Sandstone Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 6026 River Rouge Close Farrow & Ball No. 297 Preference Red Similar	10	One bold piece
Warm clay coral `#CD8F83`	Sherwin-Williams SW 6325 Constant Coral Very close Valspar 2001-8A Field of Flowers Very close Behr MQ4-32 Vintage Coral Close Farrow & Ball No. 64 Red Earth Similar	34	One small textile
Soft sea glass `#92B1AF`	Sherwin-Williams SW 6479 Drizzle Very close Behr HDC-CL-25 Oceanus Very close Valspar 5002-5C Turquoise Porcelain Very close Farrow & Ball No. 82 Dix Blue Close	41	Bed, sofa, curtains
Pale honey ochre `#DDB57F`	Valspar 3003-5C Imperial Gold Very close Behr HDC-CL-18 Cellini Gold Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 6388 Golden Fleece Very close Farrow & Ball No. 51 Sudbury Yellow Close	50	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 pale honey ochre 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#C6B091

In north light the pale honey ochre looks cooler and quieter, closer to a soft sand. It still reads light at LRV 50, so it keeps the room from feeling closed in.

South-facing room#E4C08D

Strong south light warms the pale honey ochre and brings out its yellow undertone. Expect the wall to look brighter and more golden through the day.

Evening, warm lamps (2700K)#BF9966

Under warm evening bulbs the pale honey ochre deepens toward amber. The clay coral and dusky rose brown also take on more warmth, so the room feels cozy.

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 a warm mid-brown and the rug border takes Warm clay coral in every combination.

Mood board

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

Pale honey ochre

Soft sea glass

Dusky rose brown

Linen

Oiled oak

Lime plaster

Aged brass

Palette card for Madame Cézanne (Hortense Fiquet, 1850–1922) in a Red Dress

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

Sky Blue Color Combination for a Room Light blue

Coastal Bedroom Paint Colors Coastal style

Mediterranean Color Scheme for Interior Walls, Wood and Textiles Mediterranean style

Blue Grey Color Palette: Colors That Go With Blue-Grey Blue-grey

Pale Blue Paint for Bedroom: Shades and Pairings from Paintings Light blue · Bedroom

More palettes like this

Beggar with a Duffle Coat (Philosopher) Édouard Manet, 1865–67

Inter artes et naturam (Between Art and Nature) Pierre Puvis de Chavannes, ca. 1890–95

Ballet Dancers Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, 1885–86

FAQ

Can I paint a whole room in the deep charcoal teal?

The deep charcoal teal is very dark, at LRV 5, so it absorbs most light. It works better as one accent wall, a cabinet, or a door than as the color for every wall in a small room.

Which color works best in a small room?

Use the pale honey ochre on the walls, since it has an LRV of 50 and reads light. Keep the darker colors to a few smaller pieces so the room does not feel closed in.

Do I need to use all six colors?

No. Start with the pale honey ochre on the walls and the soft sea glass on a main piece. Add the clay coral through textiles, then use the dark colors only where you want a focal point.

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.