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

Portrait of a Man Color Palette & Paint Colors

This palette comes from Johannes Verspronck's 1645 oil portrait Portrait of a Man, held at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Its colors run from near-black to a pale gray-green, so it suits rooms that want depth and a calm, grounded feel.

Quick answer

Use #D0CFC3 on the walls, and keep the near-black and deep brown tones for trim, textiles, and accents. Pair the mid-tone clay #C49F85 and the wood tone #907A61 with the pale wall to add warmth.

Artist: Johannes Verspronck
Date: 1645
Movement: 17th-century Dutch painting
Collection: The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Image license: Public domain (CC0)
Wall color LRV: 62

Portrait of a Man by Johannes Verspronck — Johannes Verspronck, *Portrait of a Man*, 1645. 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.

Soft Charcoal Black

#221E1A · 64.5% · LRV 1

Deep Umber Brown

#382F25 · 16.6% · LRV 3

Smoky Warm Brown

#4C4438 · 11.5% · LRV 6

Pale Sage Gray

#D0CFC3 · 2.9% · LRV 62

Soft Clay Orange

#C49F85 · 2.3% · LRV 38

Warm Ochre Brown

#907A61 · 2.1% · LRV 21

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.

Portrait of a Man reduced to its palette colors — The same scene in 6 flat colors.

Detail of the painting where Soft Charcoal Black is strongest — Soft Charcoal Black

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

Detail of the painting where Smoky Warm Brown is strongest — Smoky Warm Brown

Detail of the painting where Pale Sage Gray is strongest — Pale Sage Gray

Detail of the painting where Soft Clay Orange is strongest — Soft Clay Orange

Detail of the painting where Warm Ochre Brown is strongest — Warm 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
Soft Charcoal Black `#221E1A`	Sherwin-Williams SW 6258 Tricorn Black Similar Behr 790B-7 Bitter Chocolate Similar Farrow & Ball No. 256 Pitch Black Similar	1	Small accents, art, accessories
Deep Umber Brown `#382F25`	Behr 780B-7 Bison Brown Close Sherwin-Williams SW 6006 Black Bean Similar Farrow & Ball No. 256 Pitch Black Similar Valspar 6011-1 Fired Earth Similar	3	One bold piece
Smoky Warm Brown `#4C4438`	Sherwin-Williams SW 7055 Enduring Bronze Close Behr N220-7 Cavalry Brown Close Valspar 6010-2 Deep Earth Close Farrow & Ball No. 255 Tanner's Brown Similar	6	One small textile
Pale Sage Gray `#D0CFC3`	Behr N210-2 Cappuccino Froth Near-identical Valspar 5008-1B Bay Sands Near-identical Farrow & Ball No. 285 Cromarty Near-identical Sherwin-Williams SW 6183 Conservative Gray Near-identical	62	Main walls
Soft Clay Orange `#C49F85`	Behr S230-4 Granola Very close Valspar 2006-7C Cinnamon Brulee Very close Sherwin-Williams SW 10 Wickerwork Very close Farrow & Ball No. 28 Dead Salmon Similar	38	Bed, sofa, curtains
Warm Ochre Brown `#907A61`	Sherwin-Williams SW 7550 Resort Tan Very close Valspar 3002-9B Mocha Syrup Very close Behr HDC-NT-11 Sandalwood Tan Close Farrow & Ball No. 40 Mouse's Back Similar	21	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 pale sage gray 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#BEC0BE

In north light, the wall color #D0CFC3 (LRV 62) reads cooler and more gray. Its green undertone shows more, so the room feels calm and a little muted.

South-facing room#DAD4C2

In strong south light, the wall color #D0CFC3 (LRV 62) looks brighter and warmer. Its light value bounces daylight well, so the room can feel airy.

Evening, warm lamps (2700K)#B7A88D

Under warm evening bulbs, the wall color #D0CFC3 (LRV 62) takes on a softer, warmer tone. The green undertone recedes, and the clay and ochre tones feel richer.

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 Ochre Brown and the rug border takes Smoky Warm Brown in every combination.

Mood board

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

Pale Sage Gray

Soft Clay Orange

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

Guides that use colors from this painting

Exterior Cottage Color Schemes: Four Palettes for Walls, Trim and Door House exterior · Cottage

More palettes like this

A Banquet Dirck Hals, 1628

Portrait of a Man Bartholomeus van der Helst, 1647

Still Life with a Glass and Oysters Jan Davidsz de Heem, ca. 1640

FAQ

Can I paint a whole room in the darkest color, #221E1A?

You can, but it is very dark at LRV 1. It works best as a single accent wall, a trim, or a door. In a small room with little daylight, a full-room coat may feel closed in.

Which tone should I use for wood furniture or floors?

Use #907A61 as a guide for wood tones. It is a mid-dark warm yellow brown at LRV 21, so it suits a wood finish or a leather piece. It pairs well with the pale wall color.

How do I use the mid-tone clay color, #C49F85?

Use #C49F85 (LRV 38) on one wall, on a large cushion, or on a soft textile. It adds warmth without making the room feel dark. Keep it away from the darkest tones if you want the scheme to stay light.

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.