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

Saint George Color Palette & Paint Colors

This palette comes from the tempera painting Saint George by a Russian painter, held at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Its warm creams, tans and browns suit rooms that need a calm, earthy base with a little depth.

Quick answer

Put the pale parchment cream on the walls and the camel tan on large pieces of furniture. Use the soft wheat beige for curtains and upholstery, the walnut brown for wood, and the russet brown for a single accent such as a door or shelf.

Artist: Russian Painter
Movement: 15th-century Russian painting
Collection: The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Image license: Public domain (CC0)
Wall color LRV: 68

Saint George by Russian Painter — Russian Painter, *Saint George*. 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 wheat beige

#E0CEAF · 41.5% · LRV 63

Warm walnut brown

#8A6E46 · 18.6% · LRV 17

Pale parchment cream

#E7D6AF · 12.2% · LRV 68

Smoky dark umber

#413C30 · 9.9% · LRV 5

Muted camel tan

#B49574 · 9.1% · LRV 33

Deep russet brown

#654B33 · 8.7% · LRV 8

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.

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

Detail of the painting where Soft wheat beige is strongest — Soft wheat beige

Detail of the painting where Warm walnut brown is strongest — Warm walnut brown

Detail of the painting where Pale parchment cream is strongest — Pale parchment cream

Detail of the painting where Smoky dark umber is strongest — Smoky dark umber

Detail of the painting where Muted camel tan is strongest — Muted camel tan

Detail of the painting where Deep russet brown is strongest — Deep russet 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
Soft wheat beige `#E0CEAF`	Sherwin-Williams SW 6134 Netsuke Near-identical Farrow & Ball No. 8 String Near-identical Valspar 3006-10B Classic Buff Very close Behr UL160-15 Bone Very close	63	One small textile
Warm walnut brown `#8A6E46`	Behr N270-7 Library Oak Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 7700 Olde World Gold Close Valspar 3006-9A Grecian Helmet Close Farrow & Ball No. 290 Salon Drab Similar	17	Wood and frames
Pale parchment cream `#E7D6AF`	Behr UL180-11 Lemon Drop Near-identical Sherwin-Williams SW 6393 Convivial Yellow Near-identical Farrow & Ball No. 67 Farrow's Cream Very close Valspar 3006-8B Light Amber Very close	68	Main walls
Smoky dark umber `#413C30`	Behr S-H-710 Dried Leaf Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 6174 Andiron Very close Farrow & Ball No. 256 Pitch Black Similar Valspar 6011-1 Fired Earth Similar	5	Small accents, art, accessories
Muted camel tan `#B49574`	Sherwin-Williams SW 9097 Soft Fawn Near-identical Behr QE-30 Keystone Very close Valspar 3001-9C Changing Seasons Close Farrow & Ball No. 6 London Stone Similar	33	Bed, sofa, curtains
Deep russet brown `#654B33`	Behr N250-7 Mission Brown Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 9115 Cowboy Boots Close Valspar 3011-8 Dark Earth Close Farrow & Ball No. 290 Salon Drab Similar	8	One bold piece

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#CCC5B1

In north light, the parchment cream stays light but can look a little flat and grayer. Its warm yellow undertone helps keep the room feeling cozy.

South-facing room#ECDAB3

In strong south light, the parchment cream looks brighter and warmer, and it may feel almost creamy. Pair it with the russet or umber to keep the room from looking washed out.

Evening, warm lamps (2700K)#C5AB81

Under warm evening bulbs, the parchment cream turns soft and honey-toned. The walls take on a glow, and the browns look rich and settled.

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 Warm walnut brown and the rug border takes Soft wheat beige in every combination.

Mood board

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

Pale parchment cream

Muted camel tan

Deep russet 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

Paint Colors for a Small Living Room with Brown Furniture Small room · Living room

North Facing Dining Room Colors That Warm Up Cool Light North-facing · Dining room

Warm Living Room Colors, Measured From Paintings Warm · Living room

More palettes like this

Roses Vincent van Gogh, 1890

Alfred Sisley Pierre-Auguste Renoir, 1876

Saint Peter and Simon Magus Benozzo Gozzoli (Benozzo di Lese di Sandro)

FAQ

Which color works best on the walls?

The pale parchment cream is the lightest shade in the set, with an LRV of 68. It bounces light well, so it suits small rooms or rooms with limited daylight. Use the beige or camel tan on the walls only if you want a deeper, more enclosed feel.

Can I use the darkest color in a room?

The smoky dark umber is very dark, with an LRV of 5. Use it in small amounts, such as a front door, a picture frame or a band of trim. Used on a full wall, it will make the room feel closed in.

Will these colors work with white trim or ceilings?

Yes. A clean white on trim and ceilings keeps the warm tones from feeling heavy. The contrast also makes the parchment cream and beige look more defined.

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.