18th-century French painting · art-to-room palette

The Death of Socrates Color Palette & Paint Colors

This palette comes from Jacques Louis David's 1787 painting The Death of Socrates, held at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Most of the canvas is deep brown and charcoal, with one pale cream that lifts the whole scheme, so it suits rooms that want warmth, depth and a sense of enclosure.

Quick answer

Use the pale cream #FFDFAA on the walls, the mid-tone ochre #977F5F on a main feature wall or large furniture, and the dark umber #423C33 on wood trim and doors. Add the rust #92513B and the clay #B87F5F in small amounts through textiles and accents, and keep the deepest charcoal #2C2822 for a few grounding details.

Artist: Jacques Louis David
Date: 1787
Movement: 18th-century French painting
Collection: The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Image license: Public domain (CC0)
Wall color LRV: 77

The Death of Socrates by Jacques Louis David — Jacques Louis David, *The Death of Socrates*, 1787. 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 Warm Charcoal

#2C2822 · 48.8% · LRV 2

Smoked Umber Brown

#423C33 · 30.6% · LRV 5

Muted Ochre Tan

#977F5F · 10.5% · LRV 23

Deep Rust Red

#92513B · 5.2% · LRV 12

Pale Warm Cream

#FFDFAA · 2.9% · LRV 77

Warm Clay Terracotta

#B87F5F · 2.1% · LRV 26

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 Death of Socrates reduced to its palette colors — The same scene in 6 flat colors.

Detail of the painting where Deep Warm Charcoal is strongest — Deep Warm Charcoal

Detail of the painting where Smoked Umber Brown is strongest — Smoked Umber Brown

Detail of the painting where Muted Ochre Tan is strongest — Muted Ochre Tan

Detail of the painting where Deep Rust Red is strongest — Deep Rust Red

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

Detail of the painting where Warm Clay Terracotta is strongest — Warm Clay Terracotta

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 Charcoal `#2C2822`	Behr 790B-7 Bitter Chocolate Close Sherwin-Williams SW 6258 Tricorn Black Similar Farrow & Ball No. 256 Pitch Black Similar Valspar 4011-2 Dark Kettle Black Similar	2	Small accents, art, accessories
Smoked Umber Brown `#423C33`	Behr N210-7 Havana Coffee Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 7675 Sealskin Close Farrow & Ball No. 256 Pitch Black Close Valspar 6011-1 Fired Earth Similar	5	Wood and frames
Muted Ochre Tan `#977F5F`	Sherwin-Williams SW 6138 Artifact Very close Valspar 3004-9B Crunch Granola Very close Behr 280F-5 New Chestnut Very close Farrow & Ball No. 40 Mouse's Back Similar	23	Bed, sofa, curtains
Deep Rust Red `#92513B`	Valspar 2009-6 Autumn Russet Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 7598 Sierra Redwood Very close Behr MQ1-25 Kalahari Sunset Close Farrow & Ball No. 42 Picture Gallery Red Similar	12	One bold piece
Pale Warm Cream `#FFDFAA`	Valspar 3003-4B Maple Cream Near-identical Behr BXC-31 Midsummer Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 9016 La Luna Amarilla Close Farrow & Ball No. 68 Dorset Cream Close	77	Main walls
Warm Clay Terracotta `#B87F5F`	Valspar 2005-7B Terra Cotta Trail Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 7702 Spiced Cider Close Behr 240F-4 Tiny Fawn Close Farrow & Ball No. 64 Red Earth Similar	26	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 warm 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#DCCAAD

In north light the cream wall at LRV 77 stays soft and calm, though its warm yellow undertone can read a little muted. It still bounces enough light to keep a room from feeling closed in.

South-facing room#FFE1AF

In strong south light the cream wall looks brighter and warmer, and the ochre and rust tones gain punch. Expect the dark umber and charcoal to look richer rather than heavy.

Evening, warm lamps (2700K)#D2B17F

Under warm evening bulbs the yellow undertones move toward gold and the room feels cozy. The darker browns deepen, so check a large sample at night before committing to the darkest shades.

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 Smoked Umber Brown and the rug border takes Warm Clay Terracotta in every combination.

Mood board

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

Pale Warm Cream

Muted Ochre Tan

Deep Rust 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

More palettes like this

Marie Emilie Coignet de Courson (1716–1806) with a Dog Jean Honoré Fragonard, ca. 1769

A Woman Seated on a Balustrade Marie Denise Villers, ca. 1801

Louis XV (1710–1774) as a Child Hyacinthe Rigaud, ca. 1716–24

FAQ

Which color should cover the most wall space?

Use the pale cream #FFDFAA on the main walls. At LRV 77 it reflects enough light to balance the darker shades in the rest of the room.

Can I use the darkest shade on walls?

It is possible, but it works best in small amounts. Try it on a door, a built-in or a window trim, where it adds depth without closing in the whole room.

What pairs well with the dark umber wood tone?

The cream wall and the clay textile #B87F5F pair well with #423C33. Add a rust accent such as #92513B in a pillow or rug to bring warmth to the room.

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.