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

Interior of St. Mark's, Venice Color Palette & Paint Colors

This palette comes from David Dalhoff Neal's 1869 oil painting Interior of St. Mark's, Venice, held by The Art Institute of Chicago. It suits rooms that should feel warm, deep and enclosed, such as a study, dining room or library.

Quick answer

Use the light tone #E5C892 on the walls and the mid-tone #B8945C for the main furniture or a large field of color. Add #977442 as an accent, and use the darker #4C3118 and #6C4A20 for textiles and wood.

Artist: David Dalhoff Neal
Date: 1869
Movement: 19th-century painting
Collection: The Art Institute of Chicago
Image license: Public domain (CC0)
Wall color LRV: 60

Interior of St. Mark's, Venice by David Dalhoff Neal — David Dalhoff Neal, *Interior of St. Mark's, Venice*, 1869. 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 Espresso Brown

#2D2318 · 30% · LRV 2

Warm Honey Ochre

#977442 · 18.9% · LRV 20

Soft Camel Tan

#B8945C · 16% · LRV 32

Dark Russet Brown

#4C3118 · 14.7% · LRV 4

Rich Walnut Brown

#6C4A20 · 12.8% · LRV 8

Pale Parchment Cream

#E5C892 · 7.6% · 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.

Interior of St. Mark's, Venice reduced to its palette colors — The same scene in 6 flat colors.

Detail of the painting where Deep Espresso Brown is strongest — Deep Espresso Brown

Detail of the painting where Warm Honey Ochre is strongest — Warm Honey Ochre

Detail of the painting where Soft Camel Tan is strongest — Soft Camel Tan

Detail of the painting where Dark Russet Brown is strongest — Dark Russet Brown

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

Detail of the painting where Pale Parchment Cream is strongest — Pale Parchment 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
Deep Espresso Brown `#2D2318`	Behr 780B-7 Bison Brown Similar Sherwin-Williams SW 6006 Black Bean Similar Farrow & Ball No. 256 Pitch Black Similar	2	Small accents, art, accessories
Warm Honey Ochre `#977442`	Behr 270F-6 Fudge Truffle Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 6398 Sconce Gold Close Valspar 3005-9A Magic Lamp Close	20	One bold piece
Soft Camel Tan `#B8945C`	Behr S280-5 Windswept Leaves Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 7699 Rustic City Very close Valspar 3007-5A Corduroy Close Farrow & Ball No. 66 India Yellow Close	32	Bed, sofa, curtains
Dark Russet Brown `#4C3118`	Sherwin-Williams SW 6069 French Roast Similar Behr 280F-7 Breakfast Blend Similar	4	One small textile
Rich Walnut Brown `#6C4A20`	Behr 290F-7 Wooden Cabin Close Sherwin-Williams SW 6097 Sturdy Brown Close Valspar 3011-8 Dark Earth Similar	8	Wood and frames
Pale Parchment Cream `#E5C892`	Behr 310E-3 Ripe Wheat Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 6394 Sequin Very close Farrow & Ball No. 37 Hay Very close Valspar 3005-8A Cloudy Sunset Very close	60	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 parchment 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#CBBC9D

In cool north light, the wall color #E5C892 looks softer and slightly greyer. Its warm yellow undertone becomes more muted, so it reads as a calm neutral.

South-facing room#EBCF9C

In strong south light, the wall color #E5C892 looks brighter and more golden. It can wash toward cream, so check a large sample before committing.

Evening, warm lamps (2700K)#C4A471

Under warm evening bulbs, the wall color #E5C892 turns richer and more amber. The dark tones deepen, which suits a room used mostly after dark.

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 Rich Walnut Brown and the rug border takes Dark Russet Brown in every combination.

Mood board

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

Pale Parchment Cream

Soft Camel Tan

Warm Honey Ochre

Linen

Oiled oak

Lime plaster

Aged brass

Palette card for Interior of St. Mark's, Venice

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

Victorian Exterior Paint Schemes House exterior · Victorian

Victorian House Colors: A Six-Color Interior Palette Victorian style

More palettes like this

Icebound John Henry Twachtman, c. 1889

Still Life—Strawberries, Nuts, &c. Raphaelle Peale, 1822

The Advance-Guard, or The Military Sacrifice (The Ambush) Frederic Remington, 1890

FAQ

Can I paint a whole room in the darkest color, #2D2318?

It has an LRV of 2, so it absorbs most of the light that hits it. Use it on one wall, a cabinet or a small room, and pair it with the light wall color #E5C892 to keep the space from feeling closed in.

Which wood tone works with the wall color?

The deep wood tone #6C4A20, with an LRV of 8, sits well against the pale wall #E5C892. The contrast between the two keeps the wood readable without making the room feel heavy.

Will this scheme work in a room with little daylight?

The light wall color, at an LRV of 60, helps reflect what light there is. Warm bulbs will suit the palette, since they bring out the yellow undertones in both the walls and the mid-tones.

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.