14th-century Italian painting · art-to-room palette

The Crucifixion Color Palette & Paint Colors

This palette comes from a tempera painting on wood, The Crucifixion by Stefano da Verona, ca. 1400, in The Metropolitan Museum of Art. It is built from deep russet, warm ochre, and a pale butter yellow, with a few dark accents, so it suits rooms that want warmth and a quiet, old-world feel.

Quick answer

Use #FFDB7E, the lightest color with an LRV of 73, on the walls so the room stays bright. Put the mid-tone #D7A159 on the largest main surfaces, the deep #7A462E on wood trim, doors, or furniture, and save the brick red #B84134 for one or two small accents.

Artist: Stefano da Verona (Stefano di Giovanni d'Arbosio di Francia)
Date: ca. 1400
Movement: 14th-century Italian painting
Collection: The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Image license: Public domain (CC0)
Wall color LRV: 73

The Crucifixion by Stefano da Verona (Stefano di Giovanni d'Arbosio di Francia) — Stefano da Verona (Stefano di Giovanni d'Arbosio di Francia), *The Crucifixion*, ca. 1400. 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 russet wood

#7A462E · 28.5% · LRV 9

Warm ochre gold

#D7A159 · 27% · LRV 41

Near-black charcoal

#161512 · 15.4% · LRV 1

Burnt sienna textile

#A87543 · 12.8% · LRV 22

Pale butter yellow

#FFDB7E · 9.9% · LRV 73

Brick red accent

#B84134 · 6.4% · LRV 14

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

Detail of the painting where Deep russet wood is strongest — Deep russet wood

Detail of the painting where Warm ochre gold is strongest — Warm ochre gold

Detail of the painting where Near-black charcoal is strongest — Near-black charcoal

Detail of the painting where Burnt sienna textile is strongest — Burnt sienna textile

Detail of the painting where Pale butter yellow is strongest — Pale butter yellow

Detail of the painting where Brick red accent is strongest — Brick red accent

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 russet wood `#7A462E`	Behr 230F-7 Florence Brown Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 9100 Umber Rust Similar Valspar 2011-6 Cowboy Suede Similar	9	Wood and frames
Warm ochre gold `#D7A159`	Behr 300D-5 Desert Caravan Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 6382 Ceremonial Gold Very close Valspar 3004-5B Safari Sun Very close Farrow & Ball No. 66 India Yellow Close	41	Bed, sofa, curtains
Near-black charcoal `#161512`	Sherwin-Williams SW 6258 Tricorn Black Similar Behr 770F-7 Beluga Similar	1	Small accents, art, accessories
Burnt sienna textile `#A87543`	Behr MQ4-6 Invitation Gold Very close Valspar 3004-7A Praline Cake Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 6391 Gallant Gold Close	22	One small textile
Pale butter yellow `#FFDB7E`	Behr P270-4 Egg Cream Near-identical Valspar 3004-1C Summer Wheat Near-identical Sherwin-Williams SW 6901 Daffodil Very close Farrow & Ball No. 74 Citron Very close	73	Main walls
Brick red accent `#B84134`	Behr M180-7 Deep Fire Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 7589 Habanero Chile Very close Valspar 2009-4 Lovely Love Song Close Farrow & Ball No. 212 Blazer Close	14	One bold piece

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 butter yellow 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#DCC990

In north light the pale butter yellow wall looks cooler and a little softer, so it reads more creamy than bright. Its LRV of 73 still bounces light well, which helps a north-facing room feel open.

South-facing room#FFDD8C

Strong south light makes the pale butter yellow wall look its brightest and most saturated. The warm ochre and russet tones also stand out, so this is the best light for a scheme with several strong colors.

Evening, warm lamps (2700K)#D2AF66

Under warm evening bulbs the yellow wall takes on a golden glow, and the ochre and russet deepen into richer, browner tones. The brick red accent stays warm and close to its daytime look.

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 Deep russet wood and the rug border takes Burnt sienna textile in every combination.

Mood board

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

Pale butter yellow

Warm ochre gold

Brick red 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

Mustard Paint: Shades of Golden Yellow for Interior Walls Mustard

Peach Color for Bedroom: Orange Shades and Pairings from Paintings Orange · Bedroom

More palettes like this

Madonna and Child with Saints Michael and John the Baptist; The Noli Me Tangere; The Conversion of Saint Paul Italian (Pisan) Painter

Saint John the Evangelist Causes a Pagan Temple to Collapse Francescuccio Ghissi (Francesco di Cecco Ghissi), ca. 1370

The Crucifixion Ugolino da Siena, ca. 1315–20

FAQ

Which color should I use for the main wall in a small room?

Use the pale butter yellow, #FFDB7E, with an LRV of 73. Its light value helps a small room feel open, and the warm undertone keeps it inviting.

Can I use the darkest color, #161512, in a room?

It is a near-black with no clear undertone and an LRV of 1, so it works best in small amounts. Use it for a narrow detail, such as a picture frame or a thin band, rather than a full wall.

How do I balance the deep russet and brick red?

Both are warm reds with low LRV values, so using them together can feel heavy. Keep the deep russet to wood or furniture and limit the brick red to one or two accents, such as a cushion or a vase, so the room stays balanced.

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.