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

A River in a Meadow Color Palette & Paint Colors

This palette comes from Théodore Rousseau's oil painting "A River in a Meadow" (ca. 1840, The Metropolitan Museum of Art). It is built from olive, khaki and walnut browns, with one pale cream and a touch of near-black. It suits rooms that need grounded, warm, natural color.

Quick answer

Use the cream #FDE1B0 on the main walls, since it is the only light color here. Use the khaki #A59271 for the largest field of color, and the deep olive #695C3D on one accent wall or built-ins. Keep the near-black for small details, and use the walnut and ochre for wood and textiles.

Artist: Théodore Rousseau
Date: ca. 1840
Movement: 19th-century French painting
Collection: The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Image license: Public domain (CC0)
Wall color LRV: 78

A River in a Meadow by Théodore Rousseau — Théodore Rousseau, *A River in a Meadow*, ca. 1840. 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 olive bark

#695C3D · 56.2% · LRV 11

Dusty meadow khaki

#A59271 · 20.5% · LRV 30

Warm walnut brown

#8B754B · 12.8% · LRV 19

Pale cream sky

#FDE1B0 · 4.4% · LRV 78

Near black

#030302 · 3.7% · LRV 0

Honey ochre

#BE9C63 · 2.5% · LRV 36

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.

A River in a Meadow reduced to its palette colors — The same scene in 6 flat colors.

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

Detail of the painting where Dusty meadow khaki is strongest — Dusty meadow khaki

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

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

Detail of the painting where Near black is strongest — Near black

Detail of the painting where Honey ochre is strongest — Honey ochre

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 olive bark `#695C3D`	Behr N300-7 Mayan Ruins Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 7735 Palm Leaf Close Valspar 6010-4 Amazon Silt Similar Farrow & Ball No. 290 Salon Drab Similar	11	One bold piece
Dusty meadow khaki `#A59271`	Sherwin-Williams SW 2842 Roycroft Suede Near-identical Valspar 6008-4B Caraway Shield Very close Behr N260-5 Distant Land Close Farrow & Ball No. 40 Mouse's Back Similar	30	Bed, sofa, curtains
Warm walnut brown `#8B754B`	Behr PPU6-20 Eden Prairie Very close Valspar 3005-9A Magic Lamp Close Sherwin-Williams SW 6411 Bengal Grass Close	19	Wood and frames
Pale cream sky `#FDE1B0`	Valspar 3006-6B Shoreline Very close Behr P250-2 Golden Nectar Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 9015 They call it Mellow Very close Farrow & Ball No. 68 Dorset Cream Close	78	Main walls
Near black `#030302`	Sherwin-Williams SW 6258 Tricorn Black Nearest available	0	Small accents, art, accessories
Honey ochre `#BE9C63`	Valspar 3005-7B Antelope Hide Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 7699 Rustic City Very close Behr 270F-5 Wilmington Tan Very close Farrow & Ball No. 66 India Yellow Close	36	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 sky 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#DACCB1

In north light, the cream wall reads softer and a little cooler. Its warm yellow undertone can look muted, so it works best with a bright white ceiling to lift the room.

South-facing room#FDE2B3

In strong south light, the cream wall reads brighter and warmer. It can look close to pale yellow, so check a large sample before you commit to it.

Evening, warm lamps (2700K)#D1B282

Under warm evening bulbs, the cream glows and the yellow undertone comes forward. The browns and olive deepen into a richer, more amber room.

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 Honey ochre in every combination.

Mood board

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

Pale cream sky

Dusty meadow khaki

Deep olive bark

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

Olive Green Bedroom Paint Olive green · Bedroom

Boho Bedroom Colors Boho style

More palettes like this

The Turkish Patrol Alexandre-Gabriel Decamps, ca. 1855–56

Standing Bather, Seen from the Back Paul Cezanne, 1879-82

Alfred Sisley Pierre-Auguste Renoir, 1876

FAQ

Can I use the pale cream on every wall?

You can, but it has a light reflectance value of 78, so it bounces a lot of light. In a room with little daylight, pair it with the khaki or olive on one wall to keep the space from feeling flat.

How should I use the near-black?

Use it sparingly. It makes up only a small share of the painting, so it works best on a door, window frame or small detail. A large area would overpower the warmer colors.

What pairs well with wood floors?

The walnut brown is a mid-tone close to many wood floors, so it blends with them rather than competing. Pair it with the honey ochre in textiles to add warmth without adding 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.