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ColorTherapy Survey: The Caravaggisti Palette

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OK, so I made this color palette up myself. But a dear friend and fellow artist recently suggested that we paint an entire apartment using the colors of a Caravaggio painting. Not one to only think inside the box myself, I took up the gauntlet...

 
 

I began by pulling colors out of Supper at Emmaus using my color chooser in photoshop, and came up with the following color palette:

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Clockwise from upper left:
Villa Torlonia VM63
King Henry VM104
Duke Red VM 68
Faded Clouds VM13
Gertrude VM62

Then we searched for appropriate color matches in my color decks. We smiled ear to ear, but then wondered if the resulting apartment would be way too gloomy to live in. So I put it to you, dear reader, what do you think of usefulness of the these colors, and where would use them? I’ve used my Ralph Lauren color deck for all.

- Mark Chamberlain, interior and decorative painter

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Comments (24)

It would be gloomy if you used the colors in the same proportions as the painting does. But if you emphasize the cream, orange, and red and use the black and brown as accents, it wouldn't be gloomy.

posted by Joan A. on July 24th 2007 at 6:40am
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I think I'd pick a different Caravaggio painting, myself; one that includes some greens and blues as well.

posted by Joan A. on July 24th 2007 at 6:40am
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Those colors remind me of Aubusson rugs, and Aubussons are traditionally the rug of the cheerful Rococo, with delicate furniture, gilding, and lots of mirrors. (Brocade Home, anyone?)

posted by wende in the twin cities on July 24th 2007 at 6:43am
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These colors shout upscale hunting lodge to me. Can't you see riding in after a foxhunt, handing your horse to a groom, and coming into the lodge for a drink and brunch next to the fire?

posted by brittanykate on July 24th 2007 at 6:44am
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Not sure what the problem is but when I click the named links for the color palette they seem to be completely different colors than what is shown in this post.

posted by jimkk on July 24th 2007 at 6:46am
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FYI: There's a nifty tool online called the Color Palette Generator (http://www.degraeve.com/color-palette/) that will break down the colors of a linked image into a simple palette of dull and vibrant colors. Here's what it came up with for the Caravaggio painting...

http://tinyurl.com/2ec8g6

... not much different than your results, but maybe it would've saved you some time :)

posted by Helena Handbasket on July 24th 2007 at 6:48am
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I was going to threaten to try the palette on a dollhouse project, then I realized it's approximately the color scheme of Marva and Brian's living room.

posted by wende in the twin cities on July 24th 2007 at 6:52am
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So this is where the palette for my apartment came from! Caravaggio has long been one of my favorites but I did not realize how deeply he has influenced my life. Lucky for me the influence was the color palette of his paintings and not the subject matter.

posted by Mason on July 24th 2007 at 6:54am
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this is a fantastic inspiration for my bride-to-be and myself! we recently purchased a house, and have some items we're figuring out how to pair other elements with our "standout" items (andré from r&b, two eames lcw chairs & an eames side table in black). rather than using a romantic palette, we'll be taking our inspiration from mark rothko whose palettes already cover the primary colors that we have.

posted by t1mmy on July 24th 2007 at 6:57am
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I too think the palette may come off too gloomy if not careful. There seemed to be a prevelence of a bit whiter cream on the table cloth that I would use to assist in preventing this. I see you have one cream color but it is too low on the brightness factor (in my opinion) to help stave off the darkness of everything else. I think you need both creams.

posted by annaland on July 24th 2007 at 6:57am
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Love it! Would use it sparingly on trim, pillows, rugs, etc. against a cream/white background.

posted by I Love Upstate on July 24th 2007 at 6:58am
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When working with a master like Carravaggio I dont think you have to worry so much about the harmony of the different colors. He has already proven that those colors work well together. All you need to focus on is the ratio of the colors. In the case of the painting the darkness overwhelms, and the bright white of the tablecloth forms the focal point - the drama. You could easily reverse this and have the brighter reds and creams be the main color and accent with the richer, darker browns. I would definitely throw in a little metallic gold somewhere - a satin pillow, a neat lamp, a nice mirror...just to add to the richness. Good luck, and send us photos!

posted by Modfan on July 24th 2007 at 7:15am
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Good call, Wende.

I don't find the colors gloomy, but it might be a bit much to do an entire apartment in them. Perhaps just one room? Applying the palette to furnishings and so on as well as wall treatments.

posted by JonathanB on July 24th 2007 at 7:26am
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It screams "autumn" to me; would you have to repaint and recover furnishings for spring? Other than that practical aspect I really like those colors together. I could see it working in a country cottage.

posted by nycflatcats on July 24th 2007 at 7:31am
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My house is essentially this without the green. It's very dynamic and airy, as the cream is on most walls, the orange is on one solid wall, and the red is used as an accent throughout (kitchen cabinets, dining room table legs) and brown trim and floor ties it all together.

posted by Blue_roses on July 24th 2007 at 8:09am
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I thought autumn too. I think these colors would create a very cozy setting for the cooler months and would look especially good in a room with a fireplace. But they could be too heavy for the summer. I love Caravaggio and this palette, and if it were up to me I'd paint/decorate the living room in it but perhaps do something else with the other rooms, or use a lot of that cream in them.

posted by engineergirl on July 24th 2007 at 8:35am
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My bf proposed using a Mucha print as a colour palette...and seeing how this one was put together, it's starting to look like a great idea.

posted by Michelle of Montreal on July 24th 2007 at 8:40am
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They look like coffee shop colors to me. Not far from the Starbucks look, actually.

posted by Jackie on July 24th 2007 at 10:11am
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awesome!
glad to see someone taking a chance and trying to do something unexpected.
those colors are very sophisticated, you can incorporate them in the room in so many ways.
lots of people assume that dark palettes are gloomy but, if done correctly, they can make a room, nay, a house feel very intimate and cozy...
BTW, that orange is divine!
good luck!

posted by chris_94131 on July 24th 2007 at 11:20am
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Reminds me of Sherwin-Williams' Arts and Crafts palette:

http://www.sherwin-williams.com/do_it_yourself/paint_colors/paint_color_palette/color_themes/arts/int_arts.jsp

posted by Jon_B on July 24th 2007 at 12:13pm
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a house in that palette would totally depress me :-(

posted by aad on July 24th 2007 at 1:17pm
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I'm planning on a room in that palette, or close to it, although as one commenter suggested, using the cream as a base with the reds/golds/others worked in throughout. It's basically stolen from a Unicorn tapestry that's made it's way to me over time.

posted by halfginger on July 24th 2007 at 5:01pm
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Those are great colors and can be used in both a modern/contemporary setting as well as for a more classical look... it all depends on how you use them.

Here is an idea that I used at my Mom's place (worked out well).

Take the darkest color you have, almost black if you can, and use that color for the ceilings! Yes, CEILINGS.

It's stunning and has huge impact. Don't use it anywhere else. Make sure to use the lightest color for the walls and other light colors for trim and accent walls to create depth and keep the room bright overall.

Remember that this will have an effect on the light levels if you have extra low ceilings or lamps that reflect the light off the ceiling, but if your room is large (or has high ceilings) try it.

After all, it's only paint and you can undo it in a couple of days.

posted by Pete ( modernflat.com ) on July 25th 2007 at 12:13am
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You would probably like this book if you have not already run across it: Living Colors: The Definitive Guide to Color Palettes through the Ages
by Margaret Walch, Augustine Hope
I also must comment on the gloomy/dark comments. Caravaggio is known his beatufil darks and for unusual light sources.
Also this was painted before electric lights were invented. We need to consider the effects of electricity and Hollywood on our modern sensibility.

posted by andyp on July 25th 2007 at 8:06am
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