The Colorist
Archive

A living archive of how artists work with color across time. Each artist profile scans publicly available works to trace dominant colors, a chromatic fingerprint, and the arc of a palette across a lifetime.A living archive of how artists work with color across time, tracing palettes, fingerprints, and lifetime arcs from public works.

Begin with an artist, carry a palette into the drawing system, or read the wider project.Begin with an artist, carry a palette into the drawing system, or read the wider project.

Scanning works…

Jan Steen

Steen painted exuberant domestic scenes with warm earth tones, rich browns, and flashes of red and gold — turning everyday Dutch life into chromatic theater.

Palette: #A79475 #46321F #614D37 #312214 #633618 #856D51 #7B5732 #D7CBB5

  • Esther, Ahasuerus, and Haman (ca. 1668): #150F0D #2E2018 #564536 #3A1C12 #502C16 #7B6F5D
  • The Satyr and the Peasant Family (ca. 1660-62): #0B0A06 #241B0C #5D4523 #3F2C14 #1E1009 #87795F
  • De Kegelaars (1658): #372D19 #67542B #4F3D1E #988554 #7A7960 #231F14
  • De Emmaüsgangers (1665): #1E190D #352310 #634B2D #0E0D07 #3E3925 #8A7E63
  • Erysichthon Verkoopt Zijn Dochter Mestra (1650): #60523D #3F382F #282725 #8E7F5D #C2C1B3 #ACA389
  • Herberginterieur Met Een Oude Man, die Zich Amuseert Met de Waardin, en Triktrakspelers, Bekend Als 'Tweeërlei Spel (1660): #0B0A09 #382A0F #221609 #534217 #695A25 #351B09
  • Zelfportret (1670): #0E0E0A #272215 #8B7A55 #482811 #443A22 #615339
  • Prinsjesdag: Het Gezelschap Viert de Verjaardag van Prins Willem III (1660): #151009 #342412 #4F3D24 #68573A #938A6D #030406
  • Het Sint Nicolaasfeest (1665): #2C2315 #1A160E #453521 #625841 #59391D #847A61
  • Interieur Met Een Vrouw die Een Papegaai Voert (1660): #1E150A #3F331D #0C0C06 #68563B #2F1F0F #472811
  • De Kwakzalver (1650): #4C340A #7C5E20 #271906 #EBE4B9 #B5A060 #614511
  • Boerenbruiloft (1672): #0F100A #2C240C #47370F #675517 #21180A #958E48
  • Het Vrolijk Huiswaartskeren (1670): #524126 #251D12 #362918 #7D653B #664621 #18150E
  • Bakker Arent Oostwaard en Zijn Vrouw Catharina Keizerswaard (1658): #12100B #2F2C21 #483117 #2C1F0F #4E4A3D #89816F
  • Man Met Een Viool in Slecht Gezelschap (1670): #4B371B #2F2514 #775E31 #1D1A11 #524C25 #9F8958
  • Het Toilet (1655): #080803 #3E2914 #5A503A #23160C #887D64
  • Portret van Adolf en Catharina Croeser Aan de Oude Delft, Bekend Als ‘de Burgemeester van Delft en Zijn Dochter (1655): #352716 #1C1913 #5E5340 #676967 #798694 #847A69
  • Het Vrolijke Huisgezin (1668): #5C482C #403220 #2A241B #857555 #79532B #B8A885
  • De Zieke Vrouw (1663): #645332 #312919 #463821 #1D1910 #0E0D09 #482B18
  • Familietafereel (1660): #271F0F #161109 #3E3118 #5F4D2E #0A0A06 #857A5B
  • David Hyldes Efter Sejren Over Goliat Og Filistrene (1671): #483B31 #AFA190 #76593F #857566 #2C2927 #615447
  • Alchemists. Oil Painting: #0E0D0B #24231F #3D2D1E #664622 #3A3833 #793C19
  • Comme Les Vieux Chantent, Les Enfants Piaillent (1662): #191309 #3A321F #6B5F45 #2C1F0C #442E14 #AD9777
  • Moses Striking the Rock (c. 1): #3A3222 #5C4F2F #C2B39E #8D6130 #5C3D25 #221F16
  • The Satyr and the Peasant Family (abou): #18160F #3F2C1C #291E13 #5B351D #634E38 #82684A
  • A School for Boys and Girls (1670): #422E1F #271C16 #6E5842 #0F0A08 #97856D
  • Beware of Luxury (“in Weelde Siet Toe”) (1663): #3B2A1E #A89475 #523017 #7F684D #584430 #1D1410
  • The Dancing Couple (1663): #584F3C #3D3025 #291D18 #B5AC89 #75553A #867E61
  • 村の結婚 (Unda): #382D23 #94876C #5C503F #1F1914 #9494A8 #664233
  • Winter Scene (1650): #E6DBCC #C2B5AA #36281E #BECFDC #9C8D7E #604633
  • Woman at Her Toilet (1663): #4A432F #6D5C45 #C0B6AC #545A57 #978371 #2C271A
  • Un Contadino Che Cucina, 1650 Ca 02 (ca. 1650): #523121 #3C2519 #7C391A #5C2912 #AA5426 #7F5134
  • The Sick Girl (1663): #221B16 #342216 #75573B #552E1A #453422 #18282F
  • The Doctor's Visit (1660): #21170E #35291A #110D08 #462D10 #80603E #694216
  • The Life of Man (1665): #453727 #282017 #6D5C4A #19130B #51331A #92806C
  • Village Fair (1648): #998056 #311804 #472707 #C7A671 #5D3C14 #8B8970
  • A Pig Belongs in the Sty (1674): #362612 #201608 #51412F #5A3119 #846C50 #120A03
  • As the Old Sing, So Pipe the Young (1665): #594534 #322418 #9B816A #1C110A #7D634D #4B2C17
  • Woman Playing the Sistrum (1662): #19120D #4B3829 #302218 #6D4E39 #926C50 #040202
  • An Old Couple Making Caudle (1668): #21140E #382517 #4B331B #644624 #140E0A #81603B
  • Self-Portrait (1670): #12110D #2C2317 #896D4B #562914 #413421 #B59563
  • Prince’s Day (1669): #150F08 #2B2012 #493721 #37230F #64553B #070504
  • Interior with a Woman Feeding a Parrot, Known as ‘the Parrot Cage (1665): #3E321D #1B140A #0B0B06 #706249 #2B1C0D #41210E
  • The Quack (1650): #543C31 #332C2B #745B4C #1C2029 #D4DFE1 #AC9C90
  • Peasant Wedding (1672): #0F0F09 #261F0C #514112 #3B2E0F #736121 #A49D58
  • The Merry Homecoming (1670): #382718 #594127 #271D14 #886338 #6F3E1F #B18855
  • The Baker Arent Oostwaard and His Wife, Catharina Keizerswaard (1658): #110E09 #292318 #4A463A #7D715E #50381C #3B2914
  • Woman Scouring Metalware (1650): #1F1814 #674930 #37291D #422815 #2D2C2A #0B0B0A
  • Man with a Fiddle in Bad Company (1685): #453419 #2D2414 #6E5329 #1E1A10 #9D8759 #585028
  • Children Teaching a Cat to Dance, Known as ‘the Dancing Lesson (1669): #2E1F14 #563A26 #1B1510 #7A5B42 #422515 #58301B
  • The Supper at Emmaus (1666): #1F170C #3F2715 #2D2819 #6E4426 #886848 #0C0B06
  • The Feast of Saint Nicholas (1665): #2C2318 #472F1D #1C170E #62361A #6C563E #8A755A
  • Wine Is a Mocker (1668): #2E2827 #191A1B #493736 #664740 #825E4D #BC564B
  • Twelfth-Night Feast (1662): #2A1F14 #3E2919 #180D07 #513A24 #684F36 #846E55
  • Dancing Peasants Before an Inn (1647): #281606 #D5C3A1 #40290F #A58E66 #56330B #7F5620
  • The Effects of Intemperance (1663): #36281B #6D5236 #4F3F2C #211913 #938260 #B3A789
  • Skittle Players Outside an Inn (1663): #3A352A #5F5747 #46361F #271D13 #6B5736 #857F72
  • The Doctor's Visit in a Rich Interior (1661): #281D1E #543F3A #381E1A #846251 #A97B5D #CA9B75
  • A Mayor of Delft and His Daughter (1655): #3A2F1D #242018 #656865 #685943 #110F0A #4E3319
  • The Drinker (1660): #312414 #4B3B23 #1B110C #6D5536 #947654 #754523
  • Idlers (1660): #0C0B0D #2F221F #53392D #83634A #BA8A5C #82492F
  • The Wedding Night of Tobias and Sarah (1668): #403425 #46443E #6C543D #282521 #948170 #4E3218
  • Choice Between Richness and Youth (1663): #241C16 #342514 #64502E #48341A #A49369 #130B02
  • Revelry at an Inn (1674): #58432D #2C190E #3E2B1B #7F674D #150906 #B29678
  • Moses and Pharaoh’s Crown (1670): #221710 #3D2C1E #4F2715 #120E0C #584F45 #79736A
  • Moses Striking the Rock (1661): #463C27 #655533 #2E291E #C9B7A2 #A87840 #56391E
  • Interior of an Inn with an Old Man Amusing Himself with the Landlady and Two Men Playing Backgammon, Known as 'Two Kinds of Games (1669): #090908 #3A2C13 #1B1107 #2A1A09 #56451A #9E955E
  • The Tooth-Puller (1651): #2F1406 #180502 #744D24 #471C06 #4F2F14 #94795A
  • Portrait of Bernardina Margriet van Raesfelt, Also Known as 'the Chicken Yard (1660): #3E2E17 #251A0D #685438 #130D05 #8A7352 #383124
  • Erysichthon Selling His Daughter (1650): #62543F #38332C #948665 #1D1D1C #C8C7B9 #4B3B28
  • Woman at Her Toilet (1657): #18180E #3B251C #7B533F #0D0E08 #57372E #8E796B
  • The Happy Family (1668): #61452A #463321 #865C35 #2C251C #756349 #AC9473
  • The Sick Woman (1664): #332A1C #635028 #081013 #212621 #1C1913 #4C3D24
  • Family Scene (1669): #45321B #281E0F #15120B #705B3D #794A24 #521E10
  • The Drunken Couple (1660): #4F3D36 #A2674F #312721 #785546 #D49477 #EC8B66
  • Farmer's Festival (1669): #633F25 #36281A #A67E49 #915A29 #422411 #B88039
  • The Family Concert (1666): #2B1C1B #483126 #66503E #180E11 #917B5E #5C3623
  • Interior with Figures (1650): #483117 #2C1F11 #381E09 #7B5F3C #673215 #A4946B
  • Ace of Hearts: #2D221C #533725 #171513 #7B5230 #B18B58 #1F1005
  • Merry Company on a Terrace (1670): #272417 #443D2B #645C47 #15140D #4C2E15 #5B482E
  • Paintings of Physicians By (1660): #1C1714 #4B3E2C #7F6B4E #382618 #AEA695 #0D0B0B
  • The Feast of Saint Nicholas (1668): #564944 #383231 #8B6450 #282322 #B79078 #D4B79E
  • Prayer Before the Meal (1669): #322920 #574634 #836F57 #AA9984 #1F160F
  • Rhetoricians at a Window (1664): #27211D #816846 #3F3124 #885A33 #4F321F #5C4A31
  • The Fortune Teller (1650): #D8CFBF #423826 #29251C #66573C #8A7958 #1B1813
  • Samson and Delilah (1668): #331415 #210914 #47261E #5B2B12 #643F29 #83592C
  • Trictrac Players (1650): #2A1D1A #432A1D #411C18 #613516 #774214 #594128
  • Landscape (1650): #1F1B13 #4B431C #362E12 #70622D #3C3B24 #2A230D
  • The Little Alms Collector (1663): #141212 #2F2216 #95804C #705C32 #432E12 #50442D
  • A Village Wedding (1670): #433328 #2C1F1D #150E10 #675040 #4F2D20 #90715F
  • An Old Lady with a Young Boy, in an Interior (1658): #51391D #36291C #23201B #34322A #825121 #A06F3D
  • Samson Mocked by the Philistines (1676): #3E2C1A #271A0E #765230 #5B3213 #56432D #9E734A
  • Wedding Party (1650): #392E1F #554027 #26211A #6F5A40 #514D48 #AA9D85
  • Country Wedding (1650): #3F3533 #23292C #BEB5AB #66503E #846E50 #0F1D20
  • Self-Portrait Playing the Lute (1660): #23221E #514539 #9A7D5A #38322C #745A44 #392320
  • Tavern Scene (1663): #2F2D26 #171918 #4C4430 #605838 #79744B #A39F81
  • Marriage Contract (1668): #27160B #3D2510 #6A3B0F #130A05 #55381D #512A08
  • Doctor's Visit (1665): #2F1B1C #200C14 #50241F #7D502C #432E28 #5F3E2E
  • Cutting for the Stone (1909): #271D14 #442D1B #62472D #886B4A #15120D
  • The Satyr and the Peasant Family (1660): #181710 #372719 #5A432F #512A13 #785F44 #26180E
  • The Marriage of Tobias and Sarah (the Marriage Contract) (1673): #3F3832 #786958 #23211E #626063 #B0A392 #6C4B32
  • The Miser (1650): #2E241C #574130 #1C1A17 #422D20 #8E7C61
  • David Returning Victorious After Defeating Goliath and the Philistines (1671): #4E4035 #AD9E8D #332C27 #85705D #6E513A #D7CFC0
  • The Wedding Party (1660): #2B2310 #53482B #3E2D0D #1B160B #5C3F0E #85704E
  • Interior (1660): #231B11 #100D05 #4A3828 #644F38 #321E0F #87785D
  • The Christening Feast (1660): #18140B #36260D #503B1A #64583C #2A0A01 #1F0701
  • As the Old Sing, So Pipe the Young (1673): #413631 #221D1D #886540 #0B090B #A7855A #744A2D
  • Happy Lovers (1660): #29241C #453625 #6A5436 #51341E #6B4425 #8F7850
  • Quack Doctor (1667): #654E36 #43342B #A9A087 #27201D #7F5B34 #827153
  • Merry Company with a Dancing Couple (1660): #AB9993 #634C43 #3F2F2B #816F68 #25232C #4C464B
  • Family Meal (1662): #3E2A1E #281916 #552E19 #82512F #67472D #76614B
  • The Hurdy-Gurdy Man (1670): #30231B #4C3B2A #74583A #190F0F #A68459 #5A3C24
  • The Debtor (1679): #2F2D27 #433322 #543B20 #704A24 #844C14 #BA7726
  • Christ in the House of Mary and Martha (1650): #4E3925 #3E352E #322618 #744D30 #261D12 #66564A
  • Child Jesus in the Temple (1659): #2D2A29 #684D37 #43312D #A4835C #895632 #CCA977
  • Two Lovers Under an Arbour (1670): #1F190F #3D301F #53442D #110E0B #736446
  • The Banquet of Anthony and Cleopatra (1674): #352A25 #564C44 #7A6D60 #503828 #9B9086 #1E1A1E
  • The Egg Dance (1670): #352B20 #20201E #0F0E0D #584A3C #8B5B3E #1D140B
  • Twin Birth Celebration (1668): #2C1618 #170408 #4A312D #624A41 #7F6451 #4B251D
  • A Brawl Among Cardplayers in a Tavern (1664): #615E50 #3B3C3A #282829 #A69974 #5A6167 #4D3E2B
  • Children Teaching a Cat to Read (1660): #312208 #211607 #523F0E #170F06 #453712 #797137
  • The Boy Eating Treacle (1660): #4C5C64 #5B5F54 #354C68 #1A274A #D6C669 #E9EFC8
  • Peasants Fighting Over Cards (1650): #3F2D15 #2B1D0C #634829 #1B1107 #856D51
  • The Tired Traveller (1661): #524336 #302D2B #C1BEBD #826B58 #303D50 #DAB48E
  • Ascagnes and Lucelle (the Music Lesson) (1667): #4A3425 #2E241C #70563A #6E3C25 #968161 #201B16
  • Twelfth Night Feast (1671): #353535 #4E4237 #1E2429 #927E6E #5B3E27 #625B53
  • Interior with Figures (1668): #443A28 #2F2314 #1D160E #48564A #715E41 #7F7B67
  • Twelfth Night (1700): #251B11 #472716 #151009 #5D4C37 #643621 #3D3122
  • The News Reader (1665): #271F15 #523B22 #13110C #836036 #A67F49 #3A3123
  • After the Meal (1660): #2D2C29 #514739 #847250 #B59D6F #713E2D #141819
  • The False Players (1665): #392F29 #1E1A1A #675646 #140C0C #2A1F18 #674232
  • The Marriage of Tobias and Sara (1670): #11100E #655745 #413629 #7A533C #26241E #A2917E
  • The Traveller Resting (1660): #725E4C #765034 #4E443A #A88664 #3A2F25 #D0B398
  • Easy Come, Easy Go (the Artist Eating Oysters) (1660): #221910 #0F0C0A #453621 #5B4B2D #332E23 #78653D
  • Smoker (1650): #231306 #110803 #40220C #6E421E
  • Grace Before Meat (1660): #3B3729 #756942 #564B2D #252722 #9E976D #362E16
  • The Luteplayer, or Family Scene (1660): #614D3B #8C765E #D2C0A6 #B09A7F #473A32 #41301E
  • The Fair at Oegstgeest (1657): #D5D1BB #332920 #4B3C2B #66543C #1A1611 #B6AB8F
  • A Merry Company at Table (1660): #B6A066 #403B34 #D6C897 #917541 #AA9C82 #615A4D
  • A Village Festival: #CCBEA1 #483B2B #A9987A #6D5E48 #8B7B63 #312311
  • A Peasant Couple Carousing in an Inn (1660): #393328 #635641 #58402A #252521 #845234 #8F846E
  • A Village Fair with a Quack (1650): #B4A998 #43382A #594027 #74573C #8F8980 #2D251D
  • Rest on the Flight Into Egypt (1670): #282724 #494435 #B8AD88 #6B6348 #8B8060 #17171C
  • The Importunate Old Man (1670): #754646 #9C655A #C39077 #4F2F36 #E9D0BC #623331
  • The Rommelpot Player (1660): #201F21 #4B3B2D #302B26 #7A5836 #9E7B55 #5C3824

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