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

Odalisque in Grisaille Color Palette & Paint Colors

This palette is built from the grays, stone tones, and pale warm neutrals of Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres's Odalisque in Grisaille, held by The Metropolitan Museum of Art. It suits rooms that need calm, layered neutrals with one or two deep darks for contrast.

Quick answer

Paint the walls in the lightest shade, #E9E7DA, and use #B3AA99 for the largest furniture piece or a broad area of the room. Bring in #D8CAB2 through curtains and cushions, and use #34312F sparingly on a door, frame, or lamp base.

Artist: Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres
Date: ca. 1824–34
Movement: 19th-century French painting
Collection: The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Image license: Public domain (CC0)
Wall color LRV: 80

Odalisque in Grisaille by Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres — Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres, *Odalisque in Grisaille*, ca. 1824–34. 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 charcoal

#34312F · 32.2% · LRV 3

Muted stone gray

#8B8880 · 28.6% · LRV 25

Soft graphite charcoal

#474644 · 14.7% · LRV 6

Warm greige taupe

#B3AA99 · 13.6% · LRV 41

Pale ivory linen

#E9E7DA · 5.8% · LRV 80

Light parchment beige

#D8CAB2 · 5.1% · LRV 60

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.

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

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

Detail of the painting where Muted stone gray is strongest — Muted stone gray

Detail of the painting where Soft graphite charcoal is strongest — Soft graphite charcoal

Detail of the painting where Warm greige taupe is strongest — Warm greige taupe

Detail of the painting where Pale ivory linen is strongest — Pale ivory linen

Detail of the painting where Light parchment beige is strongest — Light parchment beige

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 charcoal `#34312F`	Behr 790B-7 Bitter Chocolate Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 6991 Black Magic Very close Farrow & Ball No. 256 Pitch Black Close Valspar 4011-2 Dark Kettle Black Similar	3	One bold piece
Muted stone gray `#8B8880`	Behr HDC-NT-23 Wet Cement Near-identical Sherwin-Williams SW 77 Classic French Gray Very close Valspar 6004-2B Mountain Smoke Very close Farrow & Ball No. 276 Mole's Breath Very close	25	Small accents, art, accessories
Soft graphite charcoal `#474644`	Sherwin-Williams SW 7069 Iron Ore Very close Behr 790B-6 Stone Hearth Very close Valspar 6011-1 Fired Earth Very close Farrow & Ball No. 57 Off-Black Very close	6	Small accents, art, accessories
Warm greige taupe `#B3AA99`	Sherwin-Williams SW 7052 Gray Area Very close Behr UL190-7 Saturn Gray Very close Farrow & Ball No. 5 Hardwick White Very close Valspar 6002-1C Gray Silt Very close	41	Bed, sofa, curtains
Pale ivory linen `#E9E7DA`	Behr 730C-1 White Clay Near-identical Valspar 6008-1A Country Whitewash Near-identical Sherwin-Williams SW 7008 Alabaster Very close Farrow & Ball No. 2010 James White Very close	80	Main walls
Light parchment beige `#D8CAB2`	Sherwin-Williams SW 6141 Softer Tan Near-identical Behr QE-27 Estate Limestone Near-identical Farrow & Ball No. 226 Joa's White Very close Valspar 3005-10B Gardenia Very close	60	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 pale ivory linen 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#CDD0CC

In north light, the wall color #E9E7DA will look cooler and a little grayer. Its warm undertone will be softer, so it works well in rooms that need brightness.

South-facing room#EEE7D4

In strong south light, #E9E7DA will look bright and warm, and it may read close to white. Check it on a large board before committing, since the sun can wash out the yellow undertone.

Evening, warm lamps (2700K)#C5B59A

Under warm evening bulbs, #E9E7DA and #D8CAB2 will look creamy and cozy. The darker tones, #B3AA99 and #34312F, will deepen, which makes the room feel enclosed and quiet.

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 a warm mid-brown and the rug border takes Light parchment beige in every combination.

Mood board

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

Pale ivory linen

Warm greige taupe

Near-black warm charcoal

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

Grey Exterior House Colors: 4 Full Schemes House exterior · Grey

Blue and Grey Bedroom Color Schemes Blue · Bedroom

More palettes like this

Chrysanthemums Pierre-Auguste Renoir, 1881–82

The Hidden Brook Gustave Courbet, ca. 1873–77

Portrait after a Costume Ball (Portrait of Madame Dietz-Monnin) Hilaire Germain Edgar Degas, 1879

FAQ

Which color should I use on the walls?

Use #E9E7DA for the walls. It has an LRV of 80, so it reflects a lot of light and keeps a small room from feeling dark.

Can I use the darkest color on a whole wall?

It is better as an accent. #34312F has an LRV of 3, so a full wall would absorb most of the light and feel heavy in many rooms. Try it on a door, trim, or a single piece of furniture.

What if I want a more colorful room?

These colors are neutrals, so they work best as a base. Add color through art, plants, or other decor, and keep the main surfaces in these tones.

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.