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

The Arab Sage Color Palette & Paint Colors

This palette comes from the warm browns, ambers, and golden light in a painting held by The Metropolitan Museum of Art. It suits rooms that need warmth and depth, such as a study, a dining room, or a reading corner.

Quick answer

Use the light wall color, #F2CB8E, on the main walls, and the mid-tone #C89058 on larger furnishings or a secondary wall. Pair the dark walnut #5C3C20 with wood pieces, use the amber #9A6237 as an accent, and bring in the rust #AA4F30 through textiles. The near-black #15100C works best as a grounding shade on a single feature area or trim.

Artist: German Painter
Movement: 18th-century German painting
Collection: The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Image license: Public domain (CC0)
Wall color LRV: 64

The Arab Sage by German Painter — German Painter, *The Arab Sage*. 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.

Deep Espresso Black

#15100C · 68.4% · LRV 1

Dark Walnut Brown

#5C3C20 · 15.3% · LRV 6

Burnt Amber Clay

#9A6237 · 6.2% · LRV 16

Soft Honey Yellow

#F2CB8E · 5.2% · LRV 64

Mid Caramel Tan

#C89058 · 4% · LRV 33

Warm Terracotta Red

#AA4F30 · 0.7% · LRV 14

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.

The Arab Sage reduced to its palette colors — The same scene in 6 flat colors.

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

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

Detail of the painting where Burnt Amber Clay is strongest — Burnt Amber Clay

Detail of the painting where Soft Honey Yellow is strongest — Soft Honey Yellow

Detail of the painting where Mid Caramel Tan is strongest — Mid Caramel Tan

Detail of the painting where Warm Terracotta Red is strongest — Warm Terracotta Red

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 Black `#15100C`	Sherwin-Williams SW 6258 Tricorn Black Similar	1	Small accents, art, accessories
Dark Walnut Brown `#5C3C20`	Sherwin-Williams SW 6097 Sturdy Brown Close Behr 280F-7 Breakfast Blend Close Valspar 2009-10 Roasted Coffee Similar	6	Wood and frames
Burnt Amber Clay `#9A6237`	Behr S250-6 Desert Clay Close Sherwin-Williams SW 45 Antiquarian Brown Close Valspar 3011-5 Autumn Surprise Close	16	One bold piece
Soft Honey Yellow `#F2CB8E`	Sherwin-Williams SW 6667 Afterglow Near-identical Behr HDC-CL-16 Beacon Yellow Near-identical Valspar 3003-4A Dreamy Caramel Very close Farrow & Ball No. 218 Yellow Ground Close	64	Main walls
Mid Caramel Tan `#C89058`	Valspar 3002-5B Butternut Tree Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 6390 Bosc Pear Close Behr MQ4-8 Golden Aura Close Farrow & Ball No. 66 India Yellow Similar	33	Bed, sofa, curtains
Warm Terracotta Red `#AA4F30`	Behr M210-7 Thanksgiving Close Sherwin-Williams SW 6349 Pennywise Close Valspar 2011-5 Crimson Glow Close Farrow & Ball No. 42 Picture Gallery Red Similar	14	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 soft honey yellow 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#D4BE9B

In north light, the wall color #F2CB8E, with an LRV of 64, looks softer and slightly cooler. Its warm yellow undertone can read more muted, but the wall still bounces light well in a dim room.

South-facing room#F5D199

In strong south light, #F2CB8E looks brighter and more saturated. The warm yellow undertone becomes clear, so it can feel lively across a large wall.

Evening, warm lamps (2700K)#CAA56F

Under warm evening bulbs, #F2CB8E shifts toward a deeper golden tone. The amber and rust shades around it will also look richer and more glowing.

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 Brown and the rug border takes Warm Terracotta Red in every combination.

Mood board

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

Soft Honey Yellow

Mid Caramel Tan

Burnt Amber Clay

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

More palettes like this

The Empress Elizabeth of Russia (1709–1762) on Horseback, Attended by a Page Georg Christoph Grooth, after 1743–49

Paris Wilhelm Tischbein, c. 1787

FAQ

Which color should I use on the walls?

Use #F2CB8E, the soft honey yellow. It has an LRV of 64, so it reads light and helps a room feel brighter without looking white.

Can I paint a whole room in the darkest color?

The near-black #15100C has an LRV of 1, so it absorbs most of the light that hits it. Use it on one wall, a built-in, or trim, and keep most other surfaces lighter.

How do I bring the rust color into a room?

Use #AA4F30, the warm terracotta red, in cushions, a rug, or a throw. It is a deep red-orange that works well against the walnut wood tones and the caramel shade.

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.