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

Male Nude Color Palette & Paint Colors

Degas's "Male Nude" is a warm brown palette with a pale skin tone. It suits a quiet bedroom or study.

Quick answer

Use the pale #F9D2A1 on the walls, #C89D67 for main furniture and #997144 for wood. Add #785234 as an accent.

Artist: Edgar Degas
Date: 1856
Movement: 19th-century French painting
Collection: The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Image license: Public domain (CC0)
Wall color LRV: 69

Male Nude by Edgar Degas — Edgar Degas, Male Nude, 1856. 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.

Dark Umber

#362C20 · 36% · LRV 3

Roasted Brown

#4B3724 · 16.7% · LRV 4

Bronze Tan

#997144 · 16.4% · LRV 19

Cinnamon Brown

#785234 · 15.3% · LRV 10

Caramel Sand

#C89D67 · 9.8% · LRV 37

Pale Apricot

#F9D2A1 · 5.8% · LRV 69

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.

Male Nude reduced to its palette colors — The same scene in 6 flat colors.

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

Detail of the painting where Roasted Brown is strongest — Roasted Brown

Detail of the painting where Bronze Tan is strongest — Bronze Tan

Detail of the painting where Cinnamon Brown is strongest — Cinnamon Brown

Detail of the painting where Caramel Sand is strongest — Caramel Sand

Detail of the painting where Pale Apricot is strongest — Pale Apricot

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
Dark Umber `#362C20`	Behr 780B-7 Bison Brown Similar Sherwin-Williams SW 9183 Dark Clove Similar Farrow & Ball No. 256 Pitch Black Similar	3	Small accents, art, accessories
Roasted Brown `#4B3724`	Sherwin-Williams SW 9183 Dark Clove Close Behr 280F-7 Breakfast Blend Close Valspar 6010-2 Deep Earth Similar	4	One small textile
Bronze Tan `#997144`	Behr 260F-6 Smokey Topaz Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 2824 Renwick Golden Oak Very close Valspar 3011-5 Autumn Surprise Close	19	Wood and frames
Cinnamon Brown `#785234`	Behr S240-7 Leather Work Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 9100 Umber Rust Very close Valspar 3010-8 Cowboy Hat Similar	10	One bold piece
Caramel Sand `#C89D67`	Behr S270-5 Gingersnap Near-identical Sherwin-Williams SW 6130 Mannered Gold Very close Valspar 3004-7C Buckskin Pony Very close Farrow & Ball No. 66 India Yellow Close	37	Bed, sofa, curtains
Pale Apricot `#F9D2A1`	Behr QE-19 September Sun Near-identical Sherwin-Williams SW 6660 Honey Blush Very close Valspar 2006-2B Iced Tea Very close Farrow & Ball No. 68 Dorset Cream Close	69	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 apricot 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#D8C2A7

In north light the apricot #F9D2A1 at LRV 69 warms the room. The browns look flatter.

South-facing room#FAD6A8

In strong south light the bronze tan #997144 looks golden, and the apricot becomes bright.

Evening, warm lamps (2700K)#CFAA7A

Under warm evening bulbs the browns merge into a rich, dark base. Use the caramel sand to separate shapes.

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 Bronze Tan and the rug border takes Roasted Brown in every combination.

Mood board

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

Pale Apricot

Caramel Sand

Cinnamon Brown

Linen

Oiled oak

Lime plaster

Aged brass

Palette card for Male Nude

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

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FAQ

What is the wall color?

The pale apricot #F9D2A1, with an LRV of 69.

Is this palette too brown?

It is warm and close in tone. Light walls and one lighter furniture color keep it open.

Which color is for textiles?

The roasted brown #4B3724, with an LRV of 4.

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.