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

John Julius Angerstein (1736–1823) Color Palette & Paint Colors

John Julius Angerstein is a portrait dominated by black and deep brown, with small warm touches of skin tone and a bright cream. It suits a study or library where depth matters more than brightness.

Quick answer

Use the cream (LRV 83) for ceilings and trim, the near-black browns on wood and furniture, and the peach and clay tones in small doses on cushions or art. Keep any black to details.

Artist: Sir Thomas Lawrence
Movement: 18th-century British painting
Collection: The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Image license: Public domain (CC0)
Wall color LRV: 83

John Julius Angerstein (1736–1823) by Sir Thomas Lawrence — Sir Thomas Lawrence, *John Julius Angerstein (1736–1823)*. 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.

Soft Black

#201F1E · 56.2% · LRV 1

Dark Walnut

#382E26 · 29% · LRV 3

Cocoa Red

#5D382B · 5.6% · LRV 5

Light Peach

#DCB491 · 3.9% · LRV 50

Muted Terracotta

#BA7F67 · 3.1% · LRV 27

Pale Cream

#FFE8C7 · 2.3% · LRV 83

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.

John Julius Angerstein (1736–1823) reduced to its palette colors — The same scene in 6 flat colors.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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
Soft Black `#201F1E`	Sherwin-Williams SW 6258 Tricorn Black Similar Behr 790B-7 Bitter Chocolate Similar Farrow & Ball No. 256 Pitch Black Similar	1	Small accents, art, accessories
Dark Walnut `#382E26`	Behr 780B-7 Bison Brown Close Sherwin-Williams SW 6006 Black Bean Close Farrow & Ball No. 256 Pitch Black Similar Valspar 1011-8 Antique Burgundy Similar	3	Wood and frames
Cocoa Red `#5D382B`	Sherwin-Williams SW 6048 Terra Brun Very close Behr N160-7 Brown Velvet Close Valspar 1005-9A Rich Chocolate Similar Farrow & Ball No. 297 Preference Red Similar	5	One bold piece
Light Peach `#DCB491`	Behr S250-3 Honey Nougat Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 6114 Bagel Very close Valspar 3002-8A Sun Tan Very close Farrow & Ball No. 231 Setting Plaster Similar	50	Bed, sofa, curtains
Muted Terracotta `#BA7F67`	Behr 240F-4 Tiny Fawn Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 2854 Caribbean Coral Very close Valspar 2004-5B Clove Bud Close Farrow & Ball No. 64 Red Earth Close	27	One small textile
Pale Cream `#FFE8C7`	Behr M260-2 Light Nougat Very close Valspar 3004-6C Evening Sun Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 7681 Tea Light Very close Farrow & Ball No. 203 Tallow Close	83	Main walls

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 cream 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#DCD1BF

North light makes the darks look even deeper. The cream (LRV 83) helps by bouncing back whatever light there is.

South-facing room#FFE8C5

South light shows the red-brown in the walnut and cocoa. The peach tone turns glowing and warm.

Evening, warm lamps (2700K)#D2B690

Under warm bulbs the dark browns lose their harshness and become rich, and the peach and terracotta take on a gentle glow.

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 Dark Walnut and the rug border takes Muted Terracotta in every combination.

Mood board

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

Pale Cream

Light Peach

Cocoa Red

Linen

Oiled oak

Lime plaster

Aged brass

Palette card for John Julius Angerstein (1736–1823)

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 Third Duke of Dorset's Hunter with a Groom and a Dog George Stubbs, 1768

Alexander Maconochie (1777–1861) of Meadowbank Sir Henry Raeburn

Captain George K. H. Coussmaker (1759–1801) Sir Joshua Reynolds, 1782

FAQ

Can I paint a room in the soft black?

It has an LRV of 1, so it absorbs almost all light. It can look dramatic in a large room with good lighting, but add lamps and light fabrics.

What is the best contrast for the dark browns?

The pale cream at LRV 83 and the light peach at LRV 50 give clear contrast without a cold edge.

How much of this palette should be dark?

In the painting about 85 percent is very dark. At home, aim for far less: one dark wall or large piece, with lighter colors elsewhere.

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.