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

Louis XV (1710–1774) as a Child Color Palette & Paint Colors

This palette is drawn from Hyacinthe Rigaud's oil painting "Louis XV (1710–1774) as a Child," dated ca. 1716–24 and held by The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Its deep browns and warm creams suit rooms that need a dark, grounded base balanced by a light wall.

Quick answer

Use the ivory cream on the walls and the muted khaki stone as a main color on large surfaces. Bring in the russet brown for wood and the golden ochre for textiles, and keep the near-black espresso brown for small accents such as a door or trim.

Artist: Hyacinthe Rigaud
Date: ca. 1716–24
Movement: 18th-century French painting
Collection: The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Image license: Public domain (CC0)
Wall color LRV: 76

Louis XV (1710–1774) as a Child by Hyacinthe Rigaud — Hyacinthe Rigaud, *Louis XV (1710–1774) as a Child*, ca. 1716–24. 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.

Near-black espresso brown

#3B1C12 · 60.5% · LRV 2

Rich russet brown

#6E3E1E · 16.6% · LRV 7

Muted khaki stone

#A09781 · 12.8% · LRV 31

Soft ivory cream

#E8E2C9 · 5.5% · LRV 76

Antique gold ochre

#A4723A · 2.6% · LRV 20

Muted terracotta clay

#A4593E · 2% · LRV 15

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.

Louis XV (1710–1774) as a Child reduced to its palette colors — The same scene in 6 flat colors.

Detail of the painting where Near-black espresso brown is strongest — Near-black espresso brown

Detail of the painting where Rich russet brown is strongest — Rich russet brown

Detail of the painting where Muted khaki stone is strongest — Muted khaki stone

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

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

Detail of the painting where Muted terracotta clay is strongest — Muted terracotta clay

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
Near-black espresso brown `#3B1C12`	Sherwin-Williams SW 2838 Polished Mahogany Close Behr S-G-770 Wild Horse Similar	2	One bold piece
Rich russet brown `#6E3E1E`	Behr 230F-7 Florence Brown Close Sherwin-Williams SW 6097 Sturdy Brown Similar Valspar 2011-6 Cowboy Suede Similar	7	Wood and frames
Muted khaki stone `#A09781`	Sherwin-Williams SW 7739 Herbal Wash Very close Behr PPU8-20 Dusty Olive Very close Valspar 3007-9C Wild Mushroom Close Farrow & Ball No. 19 Lichen Similar	31	Bed, sofa, curtains
Soft ivory cream `#E8E2C9`	Behr PPU9-14 White Cliffs Near-identical Sherwin-Williams SW 6406 Ionic Ivory Very close Valspar 6007-3A Ginger Sugar Very close Farrow & Ball No. 2012 House White Close	76	Main walls
Antique gold ochre `#A4723A`	Sherwin-Williams SW 6391 Gallant Gold Very close Behr MQ4-6 Invitation Gold Very close Valspar 3004-7A Praline Cake Close	20	One small textile
Muted terracotta clay `#A4593E`	Sherwin-Williams SW 6349 Pennywise Very close Behr HDC-AC-01 Nouveau Copper Very close Valspar 3010-6 Cinnamon Cake Close Farrow & Ball No. 42 Picture Gallery Red Similar	15	Small accents, art, accessories

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 ivory 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#CDCCC1

The ivory cream wall, at LRV 76, stays bright and warm in north light. Its yellow undertone may read a little softer and cooler, so the room keeps its light without looking flat.

South-facing room#EDE3C7

In strong south light, the ivory cream reflects a lot of light and looks clean and bright. The warm yellow undertone can show more here, so check a large sample before committing.

Evening, warm lamps (2700K)#C5B390

Under warm evening bulbs, the ivory cream takes on a golden tone and the browns look richer. The room feels enclosed and cozy, which suits the dark accents in this palette.

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 russet brown and the rug border takes Antique gold ochre in every combination.

Mood board

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

Soft ivory cream

Muted khaki stone

Near-black espresso brown

Linen

Oiled oak

Lime plaster

Aged brass

Palette card for Louis XV (1710–1774) as a Child

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

Dark Bedroom Colors: Brown, Near-Black and Green Shades Dark · Bedroom

More palettes like this

Washerwomen François Boucher, 1768

Marie Françoise de La Cropte de St. Abre, Marquise d'Argence (born 1714) Jean Marc Nattier, 1744

The Stolen Kiss Jean Honoré Fragonard, ca. 1760

FAQ

Which color should I use on the walls?

Use the soft ivory cream, #E8E2C9. At LRV 76 it reflects enough light to keep a room open, and it works behind the darker browns in this palette.

Can I use the near-black espresso brown in a small room?

Use it only in small amounts, such as a door, trim, or a single piece of furniture. At LRV 2 it absorbs almost all light, so a full wall in a small room can feel closed in.

How much of each color should I use?

Keep the cream and khaki stone on most of the surfaces, and use the russet brown, golden ochre, and terracotta clay in smaller areas. The painting's darkest color covers most of its canvas, but a room usually needs a lighter base to feel comfortable.

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.