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

Still Life with Apples and Pitcher Color Palette & Paint Colors

This palette comes from Camille Pissarro's "Still Life with Apples and Pitcher" (1872), an oil on canvas in The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Its colors are mostly warm, earthy neutrals with one brick-red accent, so it suits rooms that need a calm, grounded base.

Quick answer

Use the pale cream #EAE1C2 on the walls, since it carries the most light. Keep the warm taupe #9B9486 as the main color for large pieces, the brown #8D7B63 for wood, and the brick red #A14B32 in small accents such as pillows or art.

Artist: Camille Pissarro
Date: 1872
Movement: 19th-century French painting
Collection: The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Image license: Public domain (CC0)
Wall color LRV: 75

Still Life with Apples and Pitcher by Camille Pissarro — Camille Pissarro, *Still Life with Apples and Pitcher*, 1872. 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.

Warm taupe grey

#9B9486 · 35.1% · LRV 30

Warm umber brown

#8D7B63 · 26.3% · LRV 21

Deep olive brown

#665C4F · 20% · LRV 11

Pale cream ivory

#EAE1C2 · 12.5% · LRV 75

Brick red-orange

#A14B32 · 4.7% · LRV 13

Soft ochre gold

#D1B576 · 1.3% · LRV 48

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.

Still Life with Apples and Pitcher reduced to its palette colors — The same scene in 6 flat colors.

Detail of the painting where Warm taupe grey is strongest — Warm taupe grey

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

Detail of the painting where Deep olive brown is strongest — Deep olive brown

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

Detail of the painting where Brick red-orange is strongest — Brick red-orange

Detail of the painting where Soft ochre gold is strongest — Soft ochre gold

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
Warm taupe grey `#9B9486`	Sherwin-Williams SW 9171 Felted Wool Very close Behr HDC-CT-20 Greywood Very close Valspar 6005-2A Coastal Villa Very close Farrow & Ball No. 243 Charleston Gray Close	30	Bed, sofa, curtains
Warm umber brown `#8D7B63`	Sherwin-Williams SW 7550 Resort Tan Very close Behr HDC-NT-11 Sandalwood Tan Very close Valspar 2008-9B Caramelized Onion Close Farrow & Ball No. 40 Mouse's Back Similar	21	Wood and frames
Deep olive brown `#665C4F`	Valspar 6006-2C Roasted Sepia Near-identical Sherwin-Williams SW 7054 Suitable Brown Very close Behr PPU5-02 Aging Barrel Very close Farrow & Ball No. 290 Salon Drab Close	11	Small accents, art, accessories
Pale cream ivory `#EAE1C2`	Behr YL-W6 YL-W6 Near-identical Sherwin-Williams SW 6399 Chamomile Very close Farrow & Ball No. 2012 House White Very close Valspar 7003-19 Spirited Very close	75	Main walls
Brick red-orange `#A14B32`	Sherwin-Williams SW 6342 Spicy Hue Very close Behr M200-7 Rusty Gate Close Valspar 2011-5 Crimson Glow Close Farrow & Ball No. 42 Picture Gallery Red Similar	13	One bold piece
Soft ochre gold `#D1B576`	Behr 310F-4 Rye Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 6401 Independent Gold Very close Valspar 3008-5B Dylan Velvet Very close Farrow & Ball No. 51 Sudbury Yellow Close	48	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 pale cream ivory 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#CECCBD

In north light, the cream wall will look cooler and a little greyer. Choose a warm version of this shade and keep the room's furniture in the warm browns to balance it.

South-facing room#EFE2C1

In strong south light, the cream wall reads brighter and warmer, and the taupe and brown look more golden. Check a large sample at midday before you commit, since the wall may feel stronger than expected.

Evening, warm lamps (2700K)#C6B28C

Under warm evening bulbs, the cream wall shifts toward a soft ivory and the browns deepen. The brick red accent becomes richer, so the room feels cozy 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 Warm umber brown and the rug border takes Soft ochre gold in every combination.

Mood board

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

Pale cream ivory

Warm taupe grey

Brick red-orange

Linen

Oiled oak

Lime plaster

Aged brass

Palette card for Still Life with Apples and Pitcher

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

Cream Color Paint for Bedroom Off-white · Bedroom

Farmhouse Bedroom Colors Farmhouse style

East Facing Bedroom Colors That Work in Morning and Afternoon Light East-facing · Bedroom

More palettes like this

Madame Léon Clapisson Pierre-Auguste Renoir, 1883

The Customs House at Varengeville Claude Monet, 1897

The Court of the Princess Adolphe Monticelli

FAQ

Which color should I paint the walls?

Use the pale cream #EAE1C2 on the walls. It has a light reflectance value of 75, so it bounces light well and keeps a small room from feeling closed in.

Can I use these colors in a room with little natural light?

Yes, but keep the walls in the cream and use the taupe and browns only on furniture or textiles. Darker colors on every wall can make a dim room feel smaller.

How much of the red accent should I use?

Use the brick red #A14B32 sparingly, in small pieces like a cushion, a vase, or a framed print. It is a strong color, so a little goes a long way in this palette.

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.