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

Seated Peasant Color Palette & Paint Colors

This palette is drawn from Paul Cézanne's oil painting "Seated Peasant" (ca. 1892–96, The Metropolitan Museum of Art). It moves from deep olive and umber browns to a pale, greenish cream, with a near-black slate blue for depth.

Quick answer

Use the pale cream #E5E3C3 on the walls to keep the room open and bright. Put the deep olive #777561 and umber #5A5547 on larger furniture, wood trim, or a main upholstered piece. Use the rust brown and ochre for small accents and textiles, and the slate blue sparingly for contrast.

Artist: Paul Cézanne
Date: ca. 1892–96
Movement: 19th-century French painting
Collection: The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Image license: Public domain (CC0)
Wall color LRV: 76

Seated Peasant by Paul Cézanne — Paul Cézanne, *Seated Peasant*, ca. 1892–96. 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.

Warm Olive Gray

#777561 · 33.5% · LRV 18

Deep Slate Blue

#212D34 · 29.1% · LRV 2

Dark Umber Taupe

#5A5547 · 23.6% · LRV 9

Pale Sage Cream

#E5E3C3 · 8.5% · LRV 76

Rust Brown Accent

#865621 · 2.9% · LRV 12

Ochre Gold Textile

#A77D31 · 2.4% · LRV 23

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.

Seated Peasant reduced to its palette colors — The same scene in 6 flat colors.

Detail of the painting where Warm Olive Gray is strongest — Warm Olive Gray

Detail of the painting where Deep Slate Blue is strongest — Deep Slate Blue

Detail of the painting where Dark Umber Taupe is strongest — Dark Umber Taupe

Detail of the painting where Pale Sage Cream is strongest — Pale Sage Cream

Detail of the painting where Rust Brown Accent is strongest — Rust Brown Accent

Detail of the painting where Ochre Gold Textile is strongest — Ochre Gold Textile

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
Warm Olive Gray `#777561`	Sherwin-Williams SW 2851 Sage Green Light Very close Behr QE-37 Knotweed Close Valspar 5008-2B Ironclad Close Farrow & Ball No. 47 Green Smoke Similar	18	Bed, sofa, curtains
Deep Slate Blue `#212D34`	Behr 750F-7 Deep Space Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 6992 Inkwell Close Valspar 4011-2 Dark Kettle Black Similar Farrow & Ball No. 256 Pitch Black Similar	2	Small accents, art, accessories
Dark Umber Taupe `#5A5547`	Behr N210-6 Swiss Brown Very close Valspar 6009-3 Montana Moss Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 6167 Garden Gate Very close Farrow & Ball No. 290 Salon Drab Similar	9	Wood and frames
Pale Sage Cream `#E5E3C3`	Behr S330-2 Caraway Seeds Near-identical Sherwin-Williams SW 6421 Celery Very close Valspar 6007-5A Green Highland Very close Farrow & Ball No. 206 Green Ground Close	76	Main walls
Rust Brown Accent `#865621`	Behr S250-7 Moroccan Spice Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 6118 Leather Bound Similar Valspar 3011-5 Autumn Surprise Similar	12	One bold piece
Ochre Gold Textile `#A77D31`	Sherwin-Williams SW 6397 Nankeen Very close Behr S300-6 Harvest Time Very close Valspar 3009-5 Pumpkin Squash Similar	23	One small textile

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 sage 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#CBCDBE

In north light, the pale cream wall (LRV 76) stays bright but can look cooler and a little greener. Warm accents like the ochre and rust will help balance it.

South-facing room#EBE4C2

Strong south light brings out the warmth in this cream and makes it read brighter. The deep olive and umber will look richer, and the slate blue will look more defined.

Evening, warm lamps (2700K)#C4B38D

Under warm evening bulbs, the yellow undertones in the olive, umber, and ochre come forward. The cream wall takes on a softer, warmer glow, 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 Dark Umber Taupe and the rug border takes Ochre Gold Textile in every combination.

Mood board

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

Pale Sage Cream

Warm Olive Gray

Rust Brown Accent

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

Sage Green Kitchen Walls: Shades From Paintings and What to Pair Them With Sage green · Kitchen

Basement Bedroom Paint Colors for Rooms With Little Light Dark room · Bedroom

More palettes like this

Young Spartan Girls Challenging Boys Hilaire Germain Edgar Degas, c. 1860

Woman Standing Beside a Balustrade with a Poodle Paul Ranson, ca. 1895

Young Peasant Having Her Coffee Camille Pissarro, 1881

FAQ

Can I use these colors in a small room?

Yes, if the pale cream #E5E3C3 covers most of the walls. Keep the deeper olive and umber to one or two pieces so the room does not feel closed in.

Which color should I use for trim or doors?

The dark umber #5A5547 works well on trim, doors, and wood furniture. It has a warm yellow undertone that sits comfortably against the pale cream walls.

How do I add the slate blue without making the room feel heavy?

Use the deep slate blue #212D34 in small amounts, such as a picture frame, a lamp base, or a narrow band of detail. A little of it adds depth, while the cream and ochre keep the room light.

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.