17th-century Dutch painting · art-to-room palette

Study for a Portrait of a Woman Color Palette & Paint Colors

This palette comes from Sir Peter Lely's Study for a Portrait of a Woman, from the 1670s. It is a warm, skin-toned set with a light peach and deep browns, and it suits a bedroom or dressing room.

Quick answer

Paint the walls peach #FDD8B9, use #E6B496 for main pieces, #8B6D53 for wood, #C19D81 for textiles and #392B22 for accents.

Artist: Sir Peter Lely (Pieter van der Faes)
Date: 1670s
Movement: 17th-century Dutch painting
Collection: The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Image license: Public domain (CC0)
Wall color LRV: 73

Study for a Portrait of a Woman by Sir Peter Lely (Pieter van der Faes) — Sir Peter Lely (Pieter van der Faes), *Study for a Portrait of a Woman*, 1670s. 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 Espresso

#392B22 · 70.8% · LRV 3

Dark Walnut

#5B432E · 12.6% · LRV 6

Pale Peach

#FDD8B9 · 6.3% · LRV 74

Muted Tan

#C19D81 · 4.7% · LRV 37

Soft Cocoa

#8B6D53 · 3.4% · LRV 17

Warm Blush Peach

#E6B496 · 2.2% · LRV 52

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.

Study for a Portrait of a Woman reduced to its palette colors — The same scene in 6 flat colors.

Detail of the painting where Deep Espresso is strongest — Deep Espresso

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

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

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

Detail of the painting where Soft Cocoa is strongest — Soft Cocoa

Detail of the painting where Warm Blush Peach is strongest — Warm Blush Peach

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 Espresso `#392B22`	Sherwin-Williams SW 6006 Black Bean Close Behr 780B-7 Bison Brown Close Farrow & Ball No. 256 Pitch Black Similar Valspar 1011-8 Antique Burgundy Similar	3	One bold piece
Dark Walnut `#5B432E`	Behr 280F-7 Breakfast Blend Near-identical Sherwin-Williams SW 7041 Van Dyke Brown Close Valspar 2009-10 Roasted Coffee Similar Farrow & Ball No. 36 Mahogany Similar	6	Small accents, art, accessories
Pale Peach `#FDD8B9`	Behr P220-2 Peche Near-identical Sherwin-Williams SW 6638 Flattering Peach Very close Valspar 2008-6B New Peach Very close Farrow & Ball No. 202 Pink Ground Similar	74	Main walls
Muted Tan `#C19D81`	Sherwin-Williams SW 10 Wickerwork Near-identical Valspar 2008-8A Friendly Tan Very close Behr PPU3-12 Egyptian Pyramid Very close Farrow & Ball No. 28 Dead Salmon Similar	37	One small textile
Soft Cocoa `#8B6D53`	Valspar 2008-7B Standing Still Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 6110 Steady Brown Very close Behr S220-6 Baked Sienna Very close Farrow & Ball No. 290 Salon Drab Similar	17	Wood and frames
Warm Blush Peach `#E6B496`	Valspar 2004-6A Sandbar Very close Behr 280C-3 Fresh Praline Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 6345 Sumptuous Peach Very close Farrow & Ball No. 231 Setting Plaster Similar	52	Bed, sofa, curtains

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 peach 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#DAC6B6

In north light the pale peach #FDD8B9 at LRV 73 stays warm and offsets the cool light.

South-facing room#FDDBBA

In strong south light the peach brightens and may look more orange, so the tan and cocoa help balance it.

Evening, warm lamps (2700K)#D1AD87

Under warm evening bulbs the whole palette glows, and the blush peach looks richer.

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 Soft Cocoa and the rug border takes Muted Tan in every combination.

Mood board

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

Pale Peach

Warm Blush Peach

Deep Espresso

Linen

Oiled oak

Lime plaster

Aged brass

Palette card for Study for a Portrait of a Woman

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

Color Schemes for a Basement Family Room Dark room · Living room

More palettes like this

Portrait of a Seated Man Gerard ter Borch the Younger, late 1650s or early 1660s

Christ with a Staff Rembrandt

A Banquet Dirck Hals, 1628

FAQ

Is peach a good wall color?

The pale peach #FDD8B9 has an LRV of 73 and a red-orange undertone. It is warm and light enough for most bedrooms.

What goes with the dark brown?

The browns work in furniture, a headboard or a floor. They give weight to the pale walls.

Does this palette suit a north-facing room?

Yes. Every color is warm, which helps a cool room feel softer.

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.