15th-century Italian painting · art-to-room palette

Abraham Color Palette & Paint Colors

Lorenzo Monaco painted Abraham around 1408 to 1410 on a gold ground, and The Metropolitan Museum of Art holds it. The palette runs from golden yellow to deep brown with a single green and a coral red, which suits a warm kitchen or dining room.

Quick answer

Paint the walls the pale gold #FFD380, use #CD9A65 and #B58556 for main furniture and accents, and add the green #4C7764 and coral #D06146 in small doses.

Artist: Lorenzo Monaco (Piero di Giovanni)
Date: ca. 1408–10
Movement: 15th-century Italian painting
Collection: The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Image license: Public domain (CC0)
Wall color LRV: 69

Abraham by Lorenzo Monaco (Piero di Giovanni) — Lorenzo Monaco (Piero di Giovanni), *Abraham*, ca. 1408–10. 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.

Chestnut Panel Brown

#6C4B36 · 23.5% · LRV 9

Honey Gold

#CD9A65 · 21.5% · LRV 37

Toasted Caramel

#B58556 · 19% · LRV 27

Gilded Straw

#FFD380 · 18.1% · LRV 69

Cypress Green

#4C7764 · 11.9% · LRV 16

Coral Terracotta

#D06146 · 6% · LRV 22

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.

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

Detail of the painting where Chestnut Panel Brown is strongest — Chestnut Panel Brown

Detail of the painting where Honey Gold is strongest — Honey Gold

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

Detail of the painting where Gilded Straw is strongest — Gilded Straw

Detail of the painting where Cypress Green is strongest — Cypress Green

Detail of the painting where Coral Terracotta is strongest — Coral 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
Chestnut Panel Brown `#6C4B36`	Behr BXC-65 Outback Brown Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 6090 Java Close Valspar 3010-8 Cowboy Hat Close	9	Wood and frames
Honey Gold `#CD9A65`	Behr MQ4-8 Golden Aura Near-identical Valspar 3003-5B Autumn Spice Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 2858 Harvest Gold Close Farrow & Ball No. 66 India Yellow Close	37	Bed, sofa, curtains
Toasted Caramel `#B58556`	Behr UL160-2 Gold Plated Very close Valspar 3003-5A Amber Sienna Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 2817 Rookwood Amber Close Farrow & Ball No. 66 India Yellow Similar	27	One bold piece
Gilded Straw `#FFD380`	Behr 310B-4 Cornmeal Near-identical Valspar 3004-4A Brushed Almond Near-identical Sherwin-Williams SW 9014 Pollen Powder Very close Farrow & Ball No. 218 Yellow Ground Close	69	Main walls
Cypress Green `#4C7764`	Sherwin-Williams SW 6467 Kendal Green Very close Behr 490F-6 Agave Frond Very close Valspar 5008-8C Mosaic Green Close	16	Small accents, art, accessories
Coral Terracotta `#D06146`	Farrow & Ball No. 268 Charlotte's Locks Very close Valspar 2011-3 Vivid Orange Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 6621 Emotional Very close Behr M210-6 Orange Liqueur Close	22	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 gilded straw 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#DCC392

The pale gold #FFD380 has an LRV of 69, so in a north-facing room it adds a sunny feeling, but test it first because the yellow is strong.

South-facing room#FFD78E

In strong south light the gold can feel intense on large walls, so use it on one wall or choose it only where you want a lively, bright room.

Evening, warm lamps (2700K)#D2AA66

Under warm evening bulbs the gold and caramel merge into a soft amber, and the green #4C7764 becomes the only cool note in the 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 Chestnut Panel Brown and the rug border takes Coral Terracotta in every combination.

Mood board

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

Gilded Straw

Honey Gold

Toasted Caramel

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

The Virgin of the Nativity Filippino Lippi, probably ca. 1500

Saint George Carlo Crivelli, 1472

Madonna and Child with Two Angels Botticelli

FAQ

How do I keep the yellow from overwhelming a room?

Use the gold on one wall or on the ceiling, and put the brown and caramel on larger furniture. The deep brown #6C4B36 grounds the brightness.

Where does the green fit?

The green #4C7764 has an LRV of 16, so it works on kitchen cabinets, a door or a pot. It balances the warm tones without competing with them.

Is the coral too bold for a kitchen?

At an LRV of 22 it is a strong accent. Use it on stools, a bowl or a small cabinet instead of walls.

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.