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

Hesitation (Madame Monteaux?) Color Palette & Paint Colors

This palette comes from Alfred Stevens's "Hesitation (Madame Monteaux?)", c. 1867, at the Art Institute of Chicago. It pairs deep brown-red and green darks with antique gold and warm cream, and it suits a dining room, library or living room that you want to feel snug and rich.

Quick answer

Paint the walls warm cream (#F0DFBA) and use antique gold (#B58620) for the main furniture or drapery. Keep the very dark brown-red, spruce and olive for a door, built-ins or one feature wall, and use the brick red in cushions or a rug.

Artist: Alfred Stevens
Date: c. 1867
Movement: 19th-century Belgian painting
Collection: The Art Institute of Chicago
Image license: Public domain (CC0)
Wall color LRV: 75

Hesitation (Madame Monteaux?) by Alfred Stevens — Alfred Stevens, *Hesitation (Madame Monteaux?)*, c. 1867. The Art Institute of Chicago, 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 Rust Brown

#5E2608 · 44% · LRV 4

Dark Spruce Green

#1F3B36 · 29.5% · LRV 4

Deep Olive Green

#40450A · 14.9% · LRV 5

Antique Gold Ochre

#B58620 · 5.9% · LRV 27

Warm Cream

#F0DFBA · 3.9% · LRV 75

Burnt Brick Red

#B03A13 · 1.7% · LRV 12

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.

Hesitation (Madame Monteaux?) reduced to its palette colors — The same scene in 6 flat colors.

Detail of the painting where Deep Rust Brown is strongest — Deep Rust Brown

Detail of the painting where Dark Spruce Green is strongest — Dark Spruce Green

Detail of the painting where Deep Olive Green is strongest — Deep Olive Green

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

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

Detail of the painting where Burnt Brick Red is strongest — Burnt Brick Red

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 Rust Brown `#5E2608`	Behr 240F-7 Root Beer Similar Sherwin-Williams SW 2839 Roycroft Copper Red Similar	4	One bold piece
Dark Spruce Green `#1F3B36`	Sherwin-Williams SW 7623 Cascades Close Behr 710F-7 Black Swan Similar Valspar 5011-5 Royal Pine Similar	4	Small accents, art, accessories
Deep Olive Green `#40450A`	Behr S-H-750 Mountain Trail Similar	5	Small accents, art, accessories
Antique Gold Ochre `#B58620`	Behr S-H-350 Burmese Gold Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 6692 Auric Close Valspar 3007-5A Corduroy Similar Farrow & Ball No. 66 India Yellow Similar	27	Bed, sofa, curtains
Warm Cream `#F0DFBA`	Valspar 3007-6B Homey Cream Near-identical Behr M300-2 Taj Mahal Near-identical Sherwin-Williams SW 6679 Full Moon Very close Farrow & Ball No. 67 Farrow's Cream Very close	75	Main walls
Burnt Brick Red `#B03A13`	Behr S-H-220 Summer Heat Close Sherwin-Williams SW 6622 Hearty Orange Similar Valspar 2011-5 Crimson Glow Similar	12	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 warm 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#D2CAB7

North light is cool and a little gray, so the cream (LRV 75) will look softer and less yellow than the swatch. It still reflects plenty of light, which helps a room that gets none directly.

South-facing room#F3E1BB

Strong south light brings out the yellow in the cream and makes it look brighter and sunnier. If it feels too warm at midday, keep the gold and brick red to small areas and let the cream carry the room.

Evening, warm lamps (2700K)#CAB188

Under warm evening bulbs the cream turns golden and buttery, and the gold ochre deepens to match. The dark brown-red and greens (LRV 4 to 5) will nearly merge, which makes a cozy, enclosed feel.

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 a warm mid-brown and the rug border takes Burnt Brick Red in every combination.

Mood board

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

Warm Cream

Antique Gold Ochre

Deep Rust Brown

Linen

Oiled oak

Lime plaster

Aged brass

Palette card for Hesitation (Madame Monteaux?)

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

North Facing Living Room Paint Colors North-facing · Living room

Paint Color for a West Facing Room: Six Colors From Paintings West-facing

Basement Paint Colors for Dark Rooms: Light Creams and Deep Shades Dark room

More palettes like this

After the Ball Alfred Stevens, 1874

FAQ

Can I use these dark colors in a small room?

Yes, but in limited amounts. With an LRV of 4 to 5, the brown-red, spruce and olive absorb almost all light, so use them on a door, shelving or one wall and keep the cream on the rest.

Where does the antique gold work best?

At LRV 27 it is a mid-tone, so it suits things you sit on or hang, such as an armchair, curtains or a large lampshade. Against cream walls it adds warmth without darkening the room.

How do I pair the green and the red-orange?

Choose one green and use it on a larger surface, then repeat the brick red (LRV 12) in two or three small items like pillows or a rug. The painting uses both against a lot of dark, so give them cream and gold around them to keep the room from feeling heavy.

Image: The Art Institute of Chicago, 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.