17th-century Italian painting · art-to-room palette

The Dream of Aeneas Color Palette & Paint Colors

This palette is built from the browns, ochres and creams in Salvator Rosa's oil painting "The Dream of Aeneas" (1660–65), held at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. It suits rooms that need warmth and depth, such as a den, study or dining room.

Quick answer

Use the pale cream #EAC993 on the walls and the soft ochre #C9A877 on larger upholstery or panels. Use the warm tan #957556 for wood, the dark russet #554335 for accents, and the deep umber #363229 for textiles and rugs.

Artist: Salvator Rosa
Date: 1660–65
Movement: 17th-century Italian painting
Collection: The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Image license: Public domain (CC0)
Wall color LRV: 61

The Dream of Aeneas by Salvator Rosa — Salvator Rosa, *The Dream of Aeneas*, 1660–65. 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 warm umber

#363229 · 33.3% · LRV 3

Warm charcoal black

#2B2722 · 27.5% · LRV 2

Dark russet brown

#554335 · 25.6% · LRV 6

Warm tan brown

#957556 · 10% · LRV 20

Soft wheat ochre

#C9A877 · 2% · LRV 42

Pale buttery cream

#EAC993 · 1.6% · LRV 61

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 Dream of Aeneas reduced to its palette colors — The same scene in 6 flat colors.

Detail of the painting where Deep warm umber is strongest — Deep warm umber

Detail of the painting where Warm charcoal black is strongest — Warm charcoal black

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

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

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

Detail of the painting where Pale buttery cream is strongest — Pale buttery 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 warm umber `#363229`	Behr N210-7 Havana Coffee Close Sherwin-Williams SW 6174 Andiron Close Farrow & Ball No. 256 Pitch Black Similar Valspar 6011-1 Fired Earth Similar	3	One small textile
Warm charcoal black `#2B2722`	Behr 790B-7 Bitter Chocolate Close Sherwin-Williams SW 6258 Tricorn Black Close Farrow & Ball No. 256 Pitch Black Similar Valspar 4011-2 Dark Kettle Black Similar	2	Small accents, art, accessories
Dark russet brown `#554335`	Sherwin-Williams SW 7027 Well‐Bred Brown Near-identical Behr N190-7 Moose Trail Very close Valspar 2011-10 Cabin Plank Similar Farrow & Ball No. 36 Mahogany Similar	6	One bold piece
Warm tan brown `#957556`	Behr PPU4-02 Coco Rum Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 2824 Renwick Golden Oak Very close Valspar 3002-9B Mocha Syrup Very close Farrow & Ball No. 40 Mouse's Back Similar	20	Wood and frames
Soft wheat ochre `#C9A877`	Sherwin-Williams SW 2813 Downing Straw Very close Behr BXC-70 Fresh Sawdust Very close Valspar 3005-7C Lewis Gold Very close Farrow & Ball No. 66 India Yellow Similar	42	Bed, sofa, curtains
Pale buttery cream `#EAC993`	Valspar 3004-6A Delightful Moon Near-identical Behr M270-4 Filtered Moon Near-identical Sherwin-Williams SW 6366 Ambitious Amber Very close Farrow & Ball No. 37 Hay Close	61	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 buttery 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#CEBD9E

In north light, the cream wall at LRV 61 will look softer and a little cooler. Its warm yellow undertone helps it feel inviting rather than flat.

South-facing room#EFCF9D

In strong south light, the cream wall at LRV 61 reads bright and may look pale yellow. Balance it with the darker browns in furniture and textiles so the room keeps its depth.

Evening, warm lamps (2700K)#C6A571

Under warm evening bulbs, the yellow undertones come forward and the cream wall looks richer and more golden. The dark browns take on a glow, which suits this palette well.

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 tan brown and the rug border takes Deep warm umber in every combination.

Mood board

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

Pale buttery cream

Soft wheat ochre

Dark 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

Dark Grey Paint Colors for Bedroom Dark grey · Bedroom

More palettes like this

Madonna and Child with Saints Francis and Dominic and Angels Giulio Cesare Procaccini, ca. 1612

Portrait of a Girl Francesco Solimena, c. 1700

Charity Cesare Dandini, ca. 1630

FAQ

Which color should I use on the walls?

Use the pale cream #EAC993 on walls. At LRV 61 it bounces light and keeps a small room from feeling closed in. It works well as the base for the darker colors.

Can I use the dark browns in a small room?

Use them in limited areas, such as one accent wall, a door, or textiles. The very dark tones at LRV 2 to 6 absorb most of the light, so a full room in them can feel heavy. Keep the cream on most surfaces.

How do I pair the wood tone with the rest of the palette?

The warm tan #957556 at LRV 20 works well with the cream walls and the soft ochre. Pair it with the dark russet accents and umber textiles to tie the room together without strong contrast.

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.