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

Alexander the Great Rescued from the River Cydnus Color Palette & Paint Colors

Alexander the Great Rescued from the River Cydnus is mostly deep brown with olive, khaki, a muted teal-blue and a warm parchment. It suits a study or dining room where earth tones and one cool accent work together.

Quick answer

Paint the walls in the parchment (LRV 76), use the khaki on the main furniture, and put the olive and bronze browns on textiles and wood. The teal-blue is the accent for a chair or curtains.

Artist: Pietro Testa
Date: ca. 1650
Movement: 17th-century Italian painting
Collection: The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Image license: Public domain (CC0)
Wall color LRV: 76

Alexander the Great Rescued from the River Cydnus by Pietro Testa — Pietro Testa, *Alexander the Great Rescued from the River Cydnus*, ca. 1650. 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.

Dark Umber

#482E1E · 61.8% · LRV 3

Olive Bronze

#745E40 · 14% · LRV 12

Warm Khaki

#94886D · 12% · LRV 25

Muted Teal

#4F676F · 7.1% · LRV 13

Parchment

#EFE1C2 · 3.5% · LRV 76

Copper Brown

#6E4529 · 1.8% · LRV 8

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.

Alexander the Great Rescued from the River Cydnus reduced to its palette colors — The same scene in 6 flat colors.

Detail of the painting where Dark Umber is strongest — Dark Umber

Detail of the painting where Olive Bronze is strongest — Olive Bronze

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

Detail of the painting where Muted Teal is strongest — Muted Teal

Detail of the painting where Parchment is strongest — Parchment

Detail of the painting where Copper Brown is strongest — Copper 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
Dark Umber `#482E1E`	Sherwin-Williams SW 6069 French Roast Very close Behr 770B-7 Chocolate Sparkle Similar	3	One bold piece
Olive Bronze `#745E40`	Behr BNC-34 Spiced Latte Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 6111 Coconut Husk Close Valspar 3011-8 Dark Earth Similar Farrow & Ball No. 290 Salon Drab Similar	12	One small textile
Warm Khaki `#94886D`	Behr PPU8-04 Urban Safari Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 2815 Renwick Olive Very close Valspar 6008-2B Sandalwood Very close Farrow & Ball No. 40 Mouse's Back Close	25	Bed, sofa, curtains
Muted Teal `#4F676F`	Valspar 5001-6C Perfect Storm Near-identical Sherwin-Williams SW 9141 Waterloo Very close Behr MQ5-25 Rush Hour Very close Farrow & Ball No. 289 Inchyra Blue Close	13	Small accents, art, accessories
Parchment `#EFE1C2`	Behr HDC-NT-17 New Cream Near-identical Valspar 7003-18 A True Antique Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 6392 Vital Yellow Very close Farrow & Ball No. 2012 House White Very close	76	Main walls
Copper Brown `#6E4529`	Sherwin-Williams SW 6097 Sturdy Brown Close Behr BXC-42 Bricktone Close Valspar 3010-8 Cowboy Hat Similar	8	Wood and frames

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 parchment 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#D2CCBD

North light makes the teal (LRV 13) look gray-blue and the khaki flat. Parchment on the walls keeps the room from feeling dim.

South-facing room#F3E2C1

In south light the parchment is bright and creamy, and the teal gets a clearer blue tint. The khaki turns slightly golden.

Evening, warm lamps (2700K)#C9B28C

Warm bulbs make the umber and copper deeper and richer. The teal stays a cool counterpoint in the 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 Copper Brown and the rug border takes Olive Bronze in every combination.

Mood board

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

Parchment

Warm Khaki

Dark Umber

Linen

Oiled oak

Lime plaster

Aged brass

Palette card for Alexander the Great Rescued from the River Cydnus

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 Bathroom Paint Colors: Warm Tans for Cool Light North-facing · Bathroom

More palettes like this

Madonna and Child with the Infant Saint John the Baptist Orsola Maddalena Caccia, ca. 1645

Charity Cesare Dandini, ca. 1630

Still Life of Grapes and Peaches Panfilo Nuvolone, ca. 1617

FAQ

How do I use the teal-blue?

It has a deep LRV of 13 and a cool blue undertone, so use it where you want a calm accent: a single chair, curtains or a vase.

Is the parchment too yellow for a wall?

It has a warm yellow undertone at LRV 76, which looks soft and creamy. If you want it quieter, pair it with the khaki on the furniture.

What is the best floor to go with this palette?

Medium to dark wood in the copper-brown range matches the warm tones and keeps the room grounded.

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.