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

The Triumph of Bacchus Color Palette & Paint Colors

This palette is built from deep browns, olive and walnut tones, with one muted gray-green and a warm ochre. It suits rooms that need warmth and depth, such as a study, a dining room or a bedroom with low daylight.

Quick answer

Use #F7D0A9 on the walls, since the painting has no light tone and this is a lightened version of its palest color. Use #525647 for the main piece of furniture, #58442B for wood, and the three darkest colors for textiles, accents and trim.

Artist: Piat Joseph Sauvage
Date: early 1780s
Movement: 18th-century Flemish painting
Collection: The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Image license: Public domain (CC0)
Wall color LRV: 68

The Triumph of Bacchus by Piat Joseph Sauvage — Piat Joseph Sauvage, *The Triumph of Bacchus*, early 1780s. 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.

Smoky olive brown

#373321 · 31.7% · LRV 3

Deep umber brown

#413A25 · 31.4% · LRV 4

Near black brown

#27231A · 22.1% · LRV 2

Dark walnut brown

#58442B · 9.7% · LRV 6

Muted sage gray

#525647 · 3.6% · LRV 9

Burnt ochre brown

#785937 · 1.5% · LRV 11

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 Triumph of Bacchus reduced to its palette colors — The same scene in 6 flat colors.

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

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

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

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

Detail of the painting where Muted sage gray is strongest — Muted sage gray

Detail of the painting where Burnt ochre brown is strongest — Burnt ochre brown

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
Smoky olive brown `#373321`	Behr S-H-710 Dried Leaf Close Sherwin-Williams SW 6174 Andiron Similar Farrow & Ball No. 256 Pitch Black Similar	3	One small textile
Deep umber brown `#413A25`	Behr S-H-710 Dried Leaf Close Sherwin-Williams SW 6174 Andiron Similar Valspar 6010-3 Olive Suede Similar	4	One bold piece
Near black brown `#27231A`	Behr 790B-7 Bitter Chocolate Similar Sherwin-Williams SW 6258 Tricorn Black Similar Farrow & Ball No. 256 Pitch Black Similar	2	Small accents, art, accessories
Dark walnut brown `#58442B`	Behr 280F-7 Breakfast Blend Close Sherwin-Williams SW 7041 Van Dyke Brown Close Valspar 3011-8 Dark Earth Similar	6	Wood and frames
Muted sage gray `#525647`	Sherwin-Williams SW 7730 Forestwood Very close Behr UL200-23 Fig Leaf Close Valspar 5003-2C Blackened Pine Close Farrow & Ball No. 93 Studio Green Similar	9	Bed, sofa, curtains
Burnt ochre brown `#785937`	Sherwin-Williams SW 9107 Über Umber Very close Behr MQ2-9 Clockworks Close Valspar 3011-8 Dark Earth Similar Farrow & Ball No. 290 Salon Drab Similar	11	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.

This painting has no light tone, so the wall color above is a lightened version of its palest color (#F7D0A9).

How the lightest tone 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#D6C1AC

North light is cool and soft, so the wall will look quieter and a little grayer than it does on the swatch. Keep the room's other warm tones close to the wall color to avoid a flat look.

South-facing room#F9D5AE

Strong south light warms the wall and makes it look brighter and more golden. Deep browns in the room will look richer, so test the wall at midday and again in the afternoon.

Evening, warm lamps (2700K)#CEA87E

Warm evening bulbs push the wall toward amber and make the room feel close and cozy. The deep browns will look softer and blend into one another, which suits a dining room or lounge.

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 Smoky olive brown in every combination.

Mood board

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

Burnt ochre brown

Muted sage gray

Deep umber 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

More palettes like this

Cloud Study (Early Evening) Simon Denis, ca. 1786–1806

Putti Harvesting Wheat Piat Joseph Sauvage

Mountainous Landscape at Tivoli Simon Denis, ca. 1786–97

FAQ

Can I use the darkest colors on a whole wall?

The darkest colors work best in small amounts, such as a door, a built-in or an accent wall in a room with good light. Covering every wall in them can make a room feel closed in.

Why does the wall color differ from the painting?

The painting has no light tone, so the wall color #F7D0A9 is a lightened version of its palest color. It gives the room a lift that the painting itself does not provide.

How should I test these colors at home?

Paint a large sample on two walls and look at it in morning light, midday and evening lamplight. Compare each color beside the furniture and textiles you plan to keep before you commit.

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.