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

The Stolen Kiss Color Palette & Paint Colors

This palette is built from a dark, warm painting, with deep browns and russets at its core and soft golds and clay tones above them. It suits rooms that need warmth and depth, such as a dining room, study, or bedroom with low daylight.

Quick answer

Use the wall color for the main walls and #C59078 for an accent wall or large upholstered piece. Bring in #604C29 through textiles, #612C1C on a door or cabinetry, and #A0844E in wood tones. Keep #1B140E to small details like trim, frames, or a single piece of furniture.

Artist: Jean Honoré Fragonard
Date: ca. 1760
Movement: 18th-century French painting
Collection: The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Image license: Public domain (CC0)
Wall color LRV: 68

The Stolen Kiss by Jean Honoré Fragonard — Jean Honoré Fragonard, *The Stolen Kiss*, ca. 1760. 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.

Near-black warm brown

#1B140E · 69.5% · LRV 1

Deep honey bronze

#604C29 · 12.1% · LRV 8

Dark russet brown

#612C1C · 8.7% · LRV 4

Soft terracotta clay

#C59078 · 6.1% · LRV 33

Light wheat gold

#CEAF70 · 2.2% · LRV 45

Mid tan ochre

#A0844E · 1.4% · LRV 25

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 Stolen Kiss reduced to its palette colors — The same scene in 6 flat colors.

Detail of the painting where Near-black warm brown is strongest — Near-black warm brown

Detail of the painting where Deep honey bronze is strongest — Deep honey bronze

Detail of the painting where Dark russet brown is strongest — Dark russet brown

Detail of the painting where Soft terracotta clay is strongest — Soft terracotta clay

Detail of the painting where Light wheat gold is strongest — Light wheat gold

Detail of the painting where Mid tan ochre is strongest — Mid tan 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
Near-black warm brown `#1B140E`	Sherwin-Williams SW 6258 Tricorn Black Similar	1	Small accents, art, accessories
Deep honey bronze `#604C29`	Behr 300F-7 Centaur Close Sherwin-Williams SW 9125 Oliva Oscuro Close Valspar 3011-8 Dark Earth Similar	8	One small textile
Dark russet brown `#612C1C`	Sherwin-Williams SW 7593 Rustic Red Close Behr 240F-7 Root Beer Similar Valspar 1010-5 Spanish Tile Similar	4	One bold piece
Soft terracotta clay `#C59078`	Sherwin-Williams SW 39 Portrait Tone Close Valspar 2003-7C Kitchen Terra Cotta Close Behr MQ1-29 Carmelite Close Farrow & Ball No. 64 Red Earth Similar	33	Bed, sofa, curtains
Light wheat gold `#CEAF70`	Behr 310F-4 Rye Near-identical Sherwin-Williams SW 9026 Tarnished Trumpet Very close Valspar 3007-5B Earthen Sienna Very close Farrow & Ball No. 51 Sudbury Yellow Close	45	Main walls
Mid tan ochre `#A0844E`	Behr N280-6 Temple Tile Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 6410 Brassy Very close Valspar 3008-7A Grecian Olive Very close	25	Wood and frames

Paint names belong to their brands. Matches are measured from screen colors and are approximate; Light & Pigment is not affiliated with any paint brand.

This painting has no light tone, so the wall color above is a lightened version of its palest color (#F0D49F).

How the lightest tone 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#D2C4A6

In north light, the wall color looks cooler and more muted. Its yellow can turn flat or greyish, so pair it with warm wood and warm white trim to keep it lively.

South-facing room#F3D8A6

In strong south light, the wall color looks bright and warm, and its gold can read quite strong. It works well in a large room, but a sample on a sunny wall is worth checking before you commit.

Evening, warm lamps (2700K)#CAAB78

Under warm evening bulbs, the wall color deepens and takes on a honey tone. The darker shades in the palette become rich and glowing, which suits the evening use of a room.

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 Mid tan ochre and the rug border takes Deep honey bronze in every combination.

Mood board

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

Light wheat gold

Soft terracotta clay

Dark russet brown

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

White House Paint: Exterior Color Combinations House exterior · White

More palettes like this

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

View in the Stables of the Villa of Maecenas, Tivoli François Marius Granet, ca. 1805–10

FAQ

Can I paint a whole room in the darkest color?

This is not advisable. The darkest tone has a light reflectance value of 1, so it absorbs almost all the light that hits it. Use it in small areas, such as trim, a door, or a piece of furniture.

Which wood tone works with the wall color?

The mid tan ochre, #A0844E, sits well with the light wheat gold wall. Warm wood floors, frames, and furniture in this range will blend with the wall and keep the room cohesive.

Is the wall color taken directly from the painting?

Not exactly. The painting has no light tone, so the wall color is a lightened version of its palest measured color. Order a sample and test it in your own room before painting.

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.