20th-century Dutch painting · art-to-room palette

Mother and Child Color Palette & Paint Colors

This palette comes from Julius Gari Melchers' oil painting "Mother and Child" (c. 1906, The Art Institute of Chicago). It runs from near-black brown to a soft butter cream, all with warm red-orange or yellow undertones.

Quick answer

Use the pale cream #F9E1BB on the walls and the warm sand #D2A67D as the main color for larger surfaces. Bring in the weathered taupe and the deep walnut through textiles and accents, and use the cognac wood tone for furniture or trim.

Artist: Julius Gari Melchers
Date: c. 1906
Movement: 20th-century Dutch painting
Collection: The Art Institute of Chicago
Image license: Public domain (CC0)
Wall color LRV: 78

Mother and Child by Julius Gari Melchers — Julius Gari Melchers, *Mother and Child*, c. 1906. The Art Institute of Chicago, 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 Umber Black

#241B16 · 59.2% · LRV 1

Burnt Walnut Brown

#644932 · 20.8% · LRV 8

Weathered Taupe Brown

#91765F · 8.6% · LRV 20

Warm Sand Tan

#D2A67D · 6.8% · LRV 43

Soft Butter Cream

#F9E1BB · 3% · LRV 78

Cognac Caramel Brown

#A26D48 · 1.6% · LRV 19

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.

Mother and Child reduced to its palette colors — The same scene in 6 flat colors.

Detail of the painting where Deep Umber Black is strongest — Deep Umber Black

Detail of the painting where Burnt Walnut Brown is strongest — Burnt Walnut Brown

Detail of the painting where Weathered Taupe Brown is strongest — Weathered Taupe Brown

Detail of the painting where Warm Sand Tan is strongest — Warm Sand Tan

Detail of the painting where Soft Butter Cream is strongest — Soft Butter Cream

Detail of the painting where Cognac Caramel Brown is strongest — Cognac Caramel Brown

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 Umber Black `#241B16`	Sherwin-Williams SW 7630 Raisin Similar Behr 790B-7 Bitter Chocolate Similar	1	Small accents, art, accessories
Burnt Walnut Brown `#644932`	Sherwin-Williams SW 6097 Sturdy Brown Very close Behr BXC-65 Outback Brown Close Valspar 3011-8 Dark Earth Similar	8	One bold piece
Weathered Taupe Brown `#91765F`	Sherwin-Williams SW 9089 Llama Wool Very close Valspar 3001-9B Dark Toast Very close Behr 250F-5 Fudge Bar Very close Farrow & Ball No. 40 Mouse's Back Similar	20	One small textile
Warm Sand Tan `#D2A67D`	Behr MQ2-7 City Sunrise Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 6115 Totally Tan Very close Valspar 3002-5C Frankincense Close Farrow & Ball No. 66 India Yellow Similar	43	Bed, sofa, curtains
Soft Butter Cream `#F9E1BB`	Sherwin-Williams SW 6379 Jersey Cream Very close Behr YL-W1 Spinning Silk Very close Valspar 2008-4C Almond Whip Very close Farrow & Ball No. 67 Farrow's Cream Very close	78	Main walls
Cognac Caramel Brown `#A26D48`	Sherwin-Williams SW 7710 Brandywine Very close Valspar 3010-7 Pale Cordovan Very close Behr MQ4-5 Castellina Very close	19	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.

How soft butter 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#D8CCB8

In north light, the cream wall reads softer and a little cooler, and its yellow undertone stays quiet. Warm sand holds its color well here and keeps the room from feeling flat.

South-facing room#FAE2BC

In strong south light, the cream wall looks brighter and its warm yellow shows more. Check the sand tone in the room, since it can look lighter and more golden than the sample.

Evening, warm lamps (2700K)#CFB288

Under warm evening bulbs, the cream and sand shift toward amber and the room feels closer and more golden. The walnut and cognac tones deepen, which suits a room used mostly at night.

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 Cognac Caramel Brown and the rug border takes Weathered Taupe Brown in every combination.

Mood board

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

Soft Butter Cream

Warm Sand Tan

Burnt Walnut 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

Basement Bedroom Paint Colors for Rooms With Little Light Dark room · Bedroom

More palettes like this

Composition (No. 1) Gray-Red Piet Mondrian, 1935

FAQ

Can the darkest brown go on a whole wall?

The near-black #241B16 has an LRV of 1, so a full room in this color will feel very enclosed. Use it on a single piece of furniture, a door, or a small accent area instead.

Which color works best for ceilings and trim?

The pale cream #F9E1BB is the lightest color in the set and works well for ceilings and trim. It keeps the room bright and ties the walls to the warmer tones below.

How should I test these colors before painting?

Paint sample patches on the actual walls and look at them at morning, midday, and night. Compare them against the natural light and lamps in your own room, since the closest paint matches are approximations.

Image: The Art Institute of Chicago, 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.