14th-century Italian painting · art-to-room palette

The Crucifixion Color Palette & Paint Colors

The Crucifixion by Ugolino da Siena has a gold ground, so its palette is built on warm browns, ochre and a glowing pale yellow. It suits an entry hall or dining room that should feel warm and golden.

Quick answer

Paint the walls in the pale gold (LRV 75) or the soft tan, use the ochre for textiles, and put the mid brown on wood. Deeper brown and brick red work on a door, chair or rug.

Artist: Ugolino da Siena
Date: ca. 1315–20
Movement: 14th-century Italian painting
Collection: The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Image license: Public domain (CC0)
Wall color LRV: 75

The Crucifixion by Ugolino da Siena — Ugolino da Siena, *The Crucifixion*, ca. 1315–20. 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 Sienna

#694736 · 36.5% · LRV 8

Warm Caramel

#A1724D · 27.6% · LRV 20

Antique Gold

#E6B36F · 24.2% · LRV 50

Brick Brown

#914E3D · 4.6% · LRV 12

Soft Tan

#C9AE8A · 4% · LRV 45

Pale Gold

#FFDD8E · 3.1% · LRV 75

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 Crucifixion reduced to its palette colors — The same scene in 6 flat colors.

Detail of the painting where Deep Sienna is strongest — Deep Sienna

Detail of the painting where Warm Caramel is strongest — Warm Caramel

Detail of the painting where Antique Gold is strongest — Antique Gold

Detail of the painting where Brick Brown is strongest — Brick Brown

Detail of the painting where Soft Tan is strongest — Soft Tan

Detail of the painting where Pale Gold is strongest — Pale 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
Deep Sienna `#694736`	Sherwin-Williams SW 6090 Java Very close Behr S200-7 Earth Fired Red Close Valspar 2009-10 Roasted Coffee Close	8	One bold piece
Warm Caramel `#A1724D`	Behr S230-6 Burnt Toffee Very close Valspar 3002-7A Chestnut Beach Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 6117 Smokey Topaz Close	20	Wood and frames
Antique Gold `#E6B36F`	Behr PPU6-04 Pyramid Gold Near-identical Sherwin-Williams SW 2831 Classical Gold Very close Valspar 3006-5B Pirate's Treasure Very close Farrow & Ball No. 51 Sudbury Yellow Close	50	One small textile
Brick Brown `#914E3D`	Sherwin-Williams SW 7598 Sierra Redwood Near-identical Valspar 2011-7 Russet Red Very close Behr MQ1-24 Smokin Hot Close Farrow & Ball No. 42 Picture Gallery Red Similar	12	Small accents, art, accessories
Soft Tan `#C9AE8A`	Behr PPU7-20 Raffia Ribbon Near-identical Sherwin-Williams SW 7694 Dromedary Camel Near-identical Valspar 3004-10A Leatherbound Very close Farrow & Ball No. 16 Cord Similar	45	Bed, sofa, curtains
Pale Gold `#FFDD8E`	Valspar 3002-2A Toasted Pecan Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 9017 Sunny Veranda Very close Behr 320B-4 Lemon Pound Cake Very close Farrow & Ball No. 74 Citron Close	75	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 gold 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#DCC99B

North light mutes the gold and makes the pale yellow look more like cream. The caramel and sienna stay warm but quieter.

South-facing room#FFDF99

In south light the pale gold (LRV 75) can read quite yellow, so sample it first. The ochre looks lively and the browns look rich.

Evening, warm lamps (2700K)#D2B06F

Warm bulbs make the gold glow and give the browns a reddish depth. This is where the palette looks its warmest.

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 Caramel and the rug border takes Antique Gold in every combination.

Mood board

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

Pale Gold

Soft Tan

Deep Sienna

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

Peach Bathroom Paint Colors Orange · Bathroom

More palettes like this

Madonna and Child with Saints Michael and John the Baptist; The Noli Me Tangere; The Conversion of Saint Paul Italian (Pisan) Painter

Saint John the Evangelist Causes a Pagan Temple to Collapse Francescuccio Ghissi (Francesco di Cecco Ghissi), ca. 1370

Saint Andrew Simone Martini, ca. 1326

FAQ

Is the gold too yellow for walls?

The pale gold has a warm yellow undertone and an LRV of 75, so it looks like soft butter in most rooms. Test a large swatch next to your trim before painting.

Which color works for a front door?

The deep sienna (LRV 8) or the brick brown (LRV 12) both suit a door. They are dark enough to feel solid and warm enough to welcome.

What can I pair with this palette for contrast?

Because all of these colors are warm, a cool gray stone floor or a dark green plant gives relief without breaking the mood.

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.