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

Paris Color Palette & Paint Colors

Six colors measured from Paris by Wilhelm Tischbein, with their share of the canvas, light reflectance, a room scheme and how the wall color shifts in north, south and evening light.

Quick answer

Put Light Ochre on most walls, use Warm Yellow for the bed, sofa or curtains, and keep Warm Red to one bold piece. Ink Umber suits floors, wood and frames, and Warm Ochre works best in a single textile.

Artist: Wilhelm Tischbein
Date: c. 1787
Movement: 18th-century German painting
Collection: The Art Institute of Chicago
Image license: Public domain (CC0)
Wall color LRV: 59

Paris by Wilhelm Tischbein — Wilhelm Tischbein, *Paris*, c. 1787. 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.

Ink Umber

#3B2C17 · 40.2% · LRV 3

Warm Red

#D7714A · 20.6% · LRV 27

Light Ochre

#FBBD98 · 14.4% · LRV 59

Warm Ochre

#A66A35 · 11.4% · LRV 19

Warm Yellow

#D4984B · 7.3% · LRV 37

Deep Umber

#7F4621 · 6.2% · LRV 9

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.

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

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

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

Detail of the painting where Light Ochre is strongest — Light Ochre

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

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

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

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
Ink Umber `#3B2C17`	Sherwin-Williams SW 9183 Dark Clove Similar Behr S-H-710 Dried Leaf Similar	3	Wood and frames
Warm Red `#D7714A`	Valspar 2006-3A Roasted Squash Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 6885 Knockout Orange Close Behr 240D-5 Grounded Close Farrow & Ball No. 268 Charlotte's Locks Close	27	One bold piece
Light Ochre `#FBBD98`	Valspar 2006-4A Peach Taffy Very close Behr P230-4 Citrus Punch Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 6632 Neighborly Peach Close Farrow & Ball No. 231 Setting Plaster Similar	59	Main walls
Warm Ochre `#A66A35`	Behr MQ4-5 Castellina Close Valspar 3011-5 Autumn Surprise Close Sherwin-Williams SW 7709 Copper Pot Close	19	One small textile
Warm Yellow `#D4984B`	Valspar 3006-5A Bugle Call Very close Behr PPU6-02 Saffron Strands Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 6383 Golden Rule Very close Farrow & Ball No. 66 India Yellow Close	37	Bed, sofa, curtains
Deep Umber `#7F4621`	Behr 240D-7 Chestnut Stallion Close Sherwin-Williams SW 9100 Umber Rust Similar Valspar 2010-6 Burnt Caramel Similar	9	Small accents, art, accessories

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 light ochre 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#D9B4A1

Cool, even daylight pulls colors toward grey. Warm wall tones keep a north-facing room from feeling cold.

South-facing room#FCC6A1

Strong warm sun pushes light colors toward cream by midday. If it reads too yellow, step down to a cooler version.

Evening, warm lamps (2700K)#CF9D75

Under warm 2700K bulbs colors turn honey-toned and dark colors read almost black. Matte finishes keep the look soft.

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 Ink Umber and the rug border takes Warm Ochre in every combination.

Mood board

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

Light Ochre

Warm Yellow

Warm Red

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

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FAQ

What colors are in Paris?

Measured from the image, the painting's six main colors are Ink Umber (#3B2C17, 40.2% of the canvas), Warm Red (#D7714A, 20.6% of the canvas), Light Ochre (#FBBD98, 14.4% of the canvas), Warm Ochre (#A66A35, 11.4% of the canvas), Warm Yellow (#D4984B, 7.3% of the canvas), Deep Umber (#7F4621, 6.2% of the canvas).

Does this palette work in a small room?

Use it with care. The lightest wall color in this painting has an LRV of about 59, so in a small room pair it with plenty of daylight or a lighter white on the ceiling.

Can I use this image on my own mood board?

The Art Institute of Chicago releases this image as public domain (cc0), so it can be reused freely.

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.