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…

Thomas Cole

Cole founded American landscape painting with a palette tuned to the wilderness — the deep greens of virgin forest, the golden light of autumn, the stormy greys of mountain weather.

Palette: #B89E7F #554025 #7B5E36 #382210 #B18444 #130C07 #6D431A #D1AC70

  • View of Schroon Mountain, Essex County (1838): #3D2816 #372B1F #A78374 #735950 #B7BABE #603311
  • View of Florence (1837): #A39F9A #6C4728 #392B14 #CAB09D #967458 #503E0F
  • The Mountain Ford (1846): #45330F #2E2007 #E6D5BD #BEBAC1 #1C1104 #624813
  • A View of the Mountain Pass Called the Notch of the White Mountains (Crawford Notch) (1839): #B4BFBC #714F1F #87745F #976F45 #98661F #533D1C
  • Clouds: #89827F #AF998A #6E6868 #DDC3A2 #493A26 #65533D
  • The Course of Empire. Desolation (1836): #8B7F72 #151205 #38270B #5B431C #836434 #241F0C
  • Destruction from the Course of Empire (Paintings). (1836): #908465 #523F1F #38260E #7D5A33 #685F42 #292711
  • The Course of Empire: the Arcadian or Pastoral State (1834): #1F2613 #C8BEAB #3A3D1D #0F170D #5A5E3F #5B5527
  • The Course of Empire: the Savage State (1834): #423D2B #151810 #88715C #AE9C8B #262314 #65572B
  • Landscape, Sunrise in the Clove (Unkn): #242421 #A1A4B0 #D5B7A3 #504424 #363125 #F6CE98
  • Sunset, View on the Catskill (1833): #1D1810 #523419 #CCBCA0 #D0AB79 #D8A057 #9E7846
  • The Return from the Tournament (1841): #453925 #A29F98 #715D34 #D5BB94 #9E826B #32291F
  • The Voyage of Life: Manhood (1842): #3E3226 #67543F #2A1F16 #513824 #8E7258 #AA9568
  • Architect’s Dream (1840): #E0DDE2 #C7AB8F #513E20 #88763A #E9DABC #BF9D5B
  • Dream of Arcadia: #322515 #DCD0CB #553E1B #865E21 #664614 #5A361F
  • Expulsion from the Garden of Eden (1828): #322415 #6B5137 #1B110A #4A3822 #0F0A06 #DDCFBB
  • Indian Pass (1847): #A9AEB8 #D1C8B7 #514A2E #3A3E36 #556060 #071530
  • Italian Coast Scene with Ruined Tower (1838): #A8A8AB #4F3B21 #CEC2AD #77572C #34271B #E3D3AC
  • Prometheus Bound (1847): #4C3F36 #4E4865 #282921 #2C324C #886A7C #735754
  • The Ages of Life: Youth (1842): #5E502C #BFBDAE #44361E #92803A #EADDB2 #897852
  • The Cascatelli, Tivoli, Looking Towards Rome (ca. 1832): #C6CCD5 #231D13 #423622 #7A7366 #877243 #61543A
  • The Mill, Sunset (1844): #3F2B0E #58471E #8B8B81 #B2A385 #2C200C #8C785A
  • The Pic-Nic (1846): #332821 #DFC79F #6D5931 #201A18 #493A26 #957735
  • The Subsiding of the Waters of the Deluge (1829): #0E0D0B #241B0D #DCD5C5 #392B13 #EBDAB1 #B79D73
  • The Voyage of Life: Childhood (1842): #3B281C #6F4A36 #CDA98D #986E57 #847031 #52451D
  • The Voyage of Life: Old Age (1842): #392921 #C49B7E #594135 #816251 #F7D9AD #241712
  • View on the Catskill-Early Autumn (1836): #B1ABB6 #090502 #1E1909 #3B2F0B #CBBAA7 #A78E75
  • View on Lake Winnipiseogee (1828): #DBD5C8 #9D7554 #221B22 #E9DAAC #624036 #432F2D
  • A Wild Scene (1831): #433B2E #292018 #625C52 #614B32 #3C2A18 #877D72
  • Italian Scenery (1831): #29221D #E8CFB8 #695C42 #130E0C #AA825B #C8B5AF
  • The Cross and the World: the Pilgrim of the Cross at the End of His Journey (1846): #090305 #C99D70 #87552D #DDC18C #24100D #3A190C
  • View on the Arno, Near Florence (1837): #9299A9 #C9BAAD #2D2712 #948653 #513F1E #918269
  • Clouds (1838): #847D7B #A8978A #6C6665 #DCC2A2 #473925 #625747
  • View of the Round-Top in the Catskill Mountains (1827): #353428 #A3B0A4 #1D1F1B #5A574E #8A6E43 #818178
  • Salvator Rosa Sketching Banditti (1830): #744928 #4E2E23 #2F2021 #AA9577 #DABF8D #9B6D3E
  • View of the Thames (1845): #AEA08E #5A4725 #897664 #9C948B #382B14 #8A6C41
  • Sunset in the Catskills (1841): #B9A999 #523A1E #3A271B #7B5318 #261810 #9A9FA8
  • View of Sicily (1840): #B4A992 #4D2615 #331B12 #644C2C #4F3320 #8D6D43
  • The Good Shepherd (1848): #D9C2AA #2D240E #AEA9A0 #181107 #59471D #B59B82
  • The Angel Appearing to the Shepherds (1834): #1D1311 #332514 #2F2C21 #443E2C #13080C #C49C74
  • Dead Rising from Tombs (1848): #322925 #5A4638 #7C6C57 #A4967E #1F1914
  • Study for the Angel Appearing to the Shepherds (1831): #222017 #353525 #B4915D #7B6336 #E3C995 #54482C
  • Italian Landscape (Formerly the Catskills from Saugerties) (1850): #AF976E #312713 #191204 #503D22 #786444 #0B0901
  • Tornado in an American Forest (1831): #220B05 #5E401C #3A1A08 #100201 #81683B #7D551B
  • North Mountain and Catskill Creek (1838): #674E35 #B1A095 #2E1F15 #44311D #DDC2A4 #9B7B54
  • Study for a Scene from Lord Byron’s “Manfred (1833): #5A4C3E #3E352E #8E7C67 #B6A88D #2C2926
  • Kneeling Male Figure: #665648 #987F5E #4B3D31 #DEDDCB #72563A #5E442F
  • Arch of Nero, Tivoli (1832): #2C2319 #8D765A #685946 #1A1510 #4C3E2E
  • Study for Standing Shepherd (1831): #B19B84 #413023 #71563D #231810 #93775B #140C09
  • The Colosseum (1832): #675143 #AE957B #42332D #918171 #977252 #734F37
  • Studies of Animal Heads (1835): #1F140B #392717 #0F0905 #5F4831
  • Wooded Landscape with Figures (1837): #3A1809 #704B1D #250F05 #5A290C #49290D #9A7233
  • Landscape (1840): #301E14 #955627 #5A351D #77411D #6A5220 #947840
  • Italian Landscape (1841): #676239 #D8D8D7 #AF9D54 #918255 #484224 #B3A780
  • View of the Quirinal from the Pincian Gardens (1841): #BD8C54 #C8B9BB #8C5E2E #9B8F88 #8A7559 #EBE3E7
  • Landscape, the Vesper Hymn: an Italian Twilight (1841): #ADB3BE #341E0E #1A0C05 #DDC5B5 #523419 #7A592C
  • View of Fort Putnam (1825): #483B33 #765F3C #948875 #6A6155 #594936 #DBE0D1
  • Sunset, View on the Catskill (1833): #1A160E #4E3116 #33271C #CDBDA1 #DAA55F #D1AE7F
  • Summer Twilight (1834): #18150D #C8B7A6 #D2BC91 #2F2111 #E4C378 #493419
  • View of Mount Etna (1842): #969393 #A88874 #4A3722 #342821 #523A15 #7C5C26
  • The Course of Empire-The Savage State (1834): #99826A #61513B #19120B #2E1E0D #402E15 #906C2E
  • Watkins Glen; Verso: Landscape: #534128 #402E23 #775927 #7D6948 #2E1F18 #5E3822
  • House, Mount Desert, Maine (1844): #B1B7BB #4C4127 #68572C #31281B #8E784A #221B15
  • John Gallier (1835): #6A6354 #37341F #554D35 #846A38 #ECECD5 #EBBF7F
  • Autumn Twilight, View of Corway Peak [Mount Chocorua], New Hampshire (1834): #F4D4B7 #8F7467 #5B3820 #E5AE8A #914C23 #6C3212
  • Study for "Dream of Arcadia (1838): #8A5339 #E5BAB1 #AF713F #5B3429 #D0945B #BC846C
  • The Vale and Temple of Segestae, Sicily (1844): #583B1F #83612F #2A1B17 #CEBFB7 #3A2519 #F5E0B4
  • Catskill Creek (1845): #4D3C27 #959090 #B39C87 #37281B #C8AA81 #876938
  • Ruins of Paestum (1832): #8FA0AC #B6BCBE #DBDBD2 #7A400E #5D2E17 #9D5B0F
  • Mount Aetna from Taormina (1843): #D3C1A8 #986A47 #2E1D1A #463325 #BAB4B1 #1E0F14
  • The Cross and the World Study for -the Pilgrim of the World on His Journey (1846-48): #BAC1E9 #845821 #6B4520 #563426 #8A7C87 #D7C5B4
  • The Cross and the World Study (1846): #4C372E #6C4B27 #D3C3AE #A2A1A4 #332118 #DDC296
  • Valley of the Vaucluse (1841): #4F2C1B #2B1E14 #E7DABC #C0AFA1 #8E8687 #33150D
  • Scene from “the Last of the Mohicans,” Cora Kneeling at the Feet of Tamenund (1827): #CDDDE5 #403524 #625442 #130F08 #77726A #E6DCC5
  • In the Simmental, Switzerland (1843): #362A24 #896A56 #584235 #C9A983 #584326 #211914
  • Study for the Course of Empire-The Savage State (1834): #CAB096 #2F291F #958570 #514029 #6E5E47 #7F5B2D
  • Lake Winnepesaukee (1827): #28230C #D9D3B4 #443F1D #656037 #85805E #BECDC0
  • View on the Schoharie (1826): #423D2C #121411 #D0CCC5 #A1958D #DDC6AE #8E7945
  • The Voyage of Life: Childhood (1840): #4F4336 #776253 #997C51 #373129 #524821 #EACBB3
  • Landscape with Figures: a Scene from "the Last of the Mohicans (1826): #1D1815 #594B3F #3C2A18 #2B2015 #998470 #603A16
  • The Gardens of the van Rensselaer Manor House (1840): #140F05 #2F1E09 #CBAABA #B09ABC #D9AB9B #472106
  • The Hunter's Return (1845): #C0BBBD #755830 #534626 #E6D6C3 #8F6D2D #373824
  • The Past (1838): #E5DECD #DFB152 #BB7F36 #372E17 #504120 #925D28
  • The Return (1837): #312316 #BEB8A7 #A5B6BF #533D21 #735728 #432B15
  • The Temple of Segesta with the Artist Sketching (1842): #C3B4AA #613D14 #86601B #4C2913 #BD9D82 #E5C097
  • The Vale of Calatafimi and Temple of Segesta, Sicily (1844): #775215 #CFC5BE #402D11 #A97A2E #170A06 #583F12
  • Tornado (1835): #2E2215 #4F3A21 #1B0F09 #6D5635 #8C683E #AE834F
  • View Across Frenchman's Bay from Mt. Desert Island, After a Squall (1845): #5C4F31 #E5CF94 #BB915D #D7DBBF #866A44 #7C7F52
  • View in the White Mountains (1827): #DEDDDE #36241C #745C3F #503928 #B5A589 #120809
  • Peace at Sunset (1827): #513615 #322111 #DED4A2 #755D30 #764314 #BDAB77
  • View of Monte Video Seat of Daniel Wadsworth Esq (1828): #130B0F #D6CFD8 #2E211A #A6969D #DCBD98 #443220
  • Brock's Monument: #3A3E34 #171910 #696D6F #27271A #F1E8B9 #89938D
  • Cross at Sunset (1848): #B09284 #786965 #6E3B24 #5F4D3C #D9BBA3 #552B1F
  • Distant View of Niagara Falls (1830): #423B2D #736753 #482C12 #281B0E #A2937C #E1CFB3
  • New England Scenery (1839): #E5C5A1 #3E2E18 #BCB0A0 #67502A #251B0B #8A6E46
  • The Mill, Sunset (1844): #866613 #CDBE8F #2B1F0C #B4B19C #B29125 #644A14
  • The Tempest (1826): #433927 #665A3F #513917 #261A12 #795822 #B8A88C
  • The Vesper Hymn (1838): #1A140E #836B5A #5E4A3C #362A1D #4C3A2B #B59977
  • Dream of Arcadia (1838): #DCD1CB #352716 #5B411B #7E5918 #4C3015 #231811
  • The Cascatelli, Tivoli, Looking Towards Rome (1832): #C4CBD4 #241D13 #514229 #7D7669 #130E08 #3B3427
  • Interior of the Colosseum, Rome (1832): #CDCCD7 #381D18 #51291E #1E0B0A #70321A #8F5027
  • Ruined Castle and River (1832): #5E4F37 #C1BEC4 #E9E2D6 #3E3527 #907C57 #2A231A
  • The Course of Empire: Destruction (1836): #8F8364 #3F280D #3B3218 #625A3E #644926 #846139
  • The Course of Empire: the Savage State (1836): #161910 #403C2B #87705B #AE9E90 #292614 #E2C79E
  • The Course of Empire: Consummation (1836): #C5BBB8 #92785A #6A4E31 #492910 #BB9F7C #946435
  • Prometheus Bound (1847): #493D35 #484461 #252620 #916F7F #2A2F49 #725753
  • The Notch of the White Mountains (1839): #B3BFBD #8B6639 #63461A #897661 #95621C #69513B
  • The Voyage of Life: Youth (1842): #5B4822 #E4D4AD #B6BBB4 #7B6724 #422C13 #887147
  • The Clove, Catskills (1827): #2E2413 #AE8A4F #1A160F #4E3E1D #8D877F #7D5C26
  • Catskill Mountain House: the Four Elements (1843): #C0A17A #71492F #43281C #130A04 #9F5A26 #9C7357
  • The Last of the Mohicans: the Death of Cora (1827): #231813 #38251A #EAE7DC #C2B0A1 #513824 #926033
  • Kaaterskill Falls (1826): #392616 #6E5A4E #5B3B1B #9B897C #20150C #544031
  • Mountain Sunrise, Catskill (1826): #352C2D #1E181A #836350 #5A423A #DBA28D #E5DBDF
  • River in the Catskills (1843): #E2D2D0 #48231A #CFAFA8 #6E4025 #905E30 #260C0D
  • Sunrise in the Catskill Mountains (1826): #352C1D #B1B6A9 #221C10 #584C38 #7E735D #D0BFA3
  • View on the Catskill Early Autumn (1837): #BDB4B7 #080401 #171006 #2B230E #AA927A #4D3E12
  • Lake with Dead Trees (Catskill) (1825): #331C14 #E1BFA0 #4D2C19 #724D2A #757A79 #DED8CF
  • Study for "Catskill Creek (1844): #A89579 #6D6B66 #43220D #423026 #816852 #AF8057
  • Autumn in the Catskills (1827): #10090B #736935 #CEDBD3 #231C16 #403929 #9CAAAB
  • View Near the Village of Catskill (1827): #2A1910 #D6D0C3 #68471F #A49C92 #37200C #492E13
  • Four Times of Day in Italy (1833): #503A23 #7C6031 #B7A887 #4B2D07 #AD8E4C #CC776C
  • The Cross and the World: the Pilgrim of the World on His Journey (1846): #9D9FA4 #3C2305 #B5A98B #281402 #5D4C46 #543508
  • The Dead Abel (1832): #2F271A #614423 #422C17 #906B42 #544830 #C6A377
  • A Rocky Glen (1846): #3E2523 #261418 #E7D8D4 #5A3B2B #16080C #704D32
  • A View Near Tivoli (Morning) (1832): #4F3F27 #949195 #CFC9C6 #2E2819 #3D2617 #686355
  • American Lake Scene (1844): #C7B19F #E2C59C #5F251A #2D0B0D #1F0408 #874C34
  • An Italian Autumn (1844): #3F2E24 #BABCBB #D7C4AA #685134 #2B1F1D #8D724C
  • Angels Ministering to Christ in the Wilderness (1843): #2B1916 #190B0C #6B3522 #411B15 #995735 #4F2C23
  • Aqueduct Near Rome (1832): #CBB6C6 #EBD3C6 #130A0B #CA7D3E #4C3122 #B38560
  • Expulsion from the Garden of Eden (1828): #342715 #1D140A #523F27 #0F0A05 #D4C4AB #705742
  • Genesee Scenery (1847): #2A2010 #94969E #584521 #403117 #C8C1B4 #79715F
  • Home in the Woods (1847): #DECDC4 #B4B1BF #352F18 #150E08 #948779 #696249
  • The Oxbow (1836): #D2CAD0 #A39388 #6C6226 #DACABB #323723 #61604E
  • The Subsiding of the Waters of the Deluge (1829): #100D0A #DED6C0 #3E2F14 #281D0E #694F1E #EED9A4
  • The Titan's Goblet (1833): #F2E8D7 #45463A #959A9E #4B372C #606D6A #2A2423
  • The Architect's Dream (1840): #E2DFE1 #D2B79A #3F341D #6D5D2E #9E8543 #A38A6E
  • The Fountain of Vaucluse (1841): #492610 #34230A #84795F #794B26 #A77647 #351504
  • A View of the Two Lakes and Mountain House, Catskill Mountains, Morning (1844): #584930 #8A8F97 #A1958C #28211B #3A3021 #866E40
  • The Pic-Nic (1846): #2A221D #423424 #614E2F #94783C #E5CEA3 #AE9788
  • Indian Pass (1847): #ACAFB4 #4C5551 #0B172E #DED5C2 #77807F #5C522F
  • Expulsion: Moon and Firelight (1828): #29221C #46392D #17120E #553723 #655443 #794A2C
  • The Cross in the Wilderness (1845): #48321C #D8C2B1 #6A4C2D #ABACB0 #2E1F12 #907759
  • Arch of Nero (1846): #D1C5A2 #36271A #5F4724 #80899E #31160E #A7A5A5
  • Romantic Landscape with Ruined Tower (1838): #AAA9AC #3E2F1E #5C4324 #D1C5AE #84612E #7C6554
  • Mount Etna from Taormina (1843): #EBD097 #BBA57F #AF7F42 #694619 #382010 #503215
  • The Course of Empire: Desolation (1836): #8C7F73 #1A1507 #342308 #563F1A #8C6C3A #766751
  • L-Allegro (Italian Sunset) (1845): #DCCEAF #7D6745 #A1A6AC #44331B #5C4723 #C0B7A7
  • The Present (1838): #F0E7DE #3D330A #D9CDE2 #262208 #E7C9BE #332106
  • II Penseroso (1845): #5D462A #34271B #9E96A3 #8A6D48 #211913 #D5C5BA
  • Indian at Sunset (1845): #E5C8AB #471E18 #C2A8A6 #7D4328 #2E0B09 #592011
  • Italian Scene Composition (1833): #D4D1CB #262919 #3E3119 #71613E #14170B #42442C
  • Landscape Composition: Saint John in the Wilderness (1827): #42342A #BABDC1 #E6E0D2 #180D0F #2A1E1B #645747
  • Landscape, the Seat of Mr. Featherstonhaugh in the Distance (1826): #756A6C #C8AE93 #251212 #482D27 #572B1E #8B654D
  • Moonlight (1834): #694745 #1C0A0C #8B6154 #301615 #714728 #4B2920
  • Morning Mist Rising in Plymouth, New Hampshire (1830): #E7DFD7 #9D968F #281F23 #C4C5D1 #F4EACA #513C35
  • Mount Chocorua, New Hampshire (1827): #150A0B #E7E1F4 #301E1C #F4E5D9 #9B8474 #D2CFF1
  • Portage Falls on the Genesee (1839): #453424 #593D21 #7C6850 #D0D4D6 #9A6F39 #2B1C0E
  • Roman Campagna (1843): #CDBEB4 #49391B #362512 #EBD2AE #DCB486 #1F100A
  • Schroon Lake (1838): #2A1C13 #F8F1B4 #4E3C2B #C4D6E5 #DCE0C9 #7F654A
  • Summer Twilight: #D1C6CA #291F18 #453426 #9A97B0 #6A5947 #5E4127
  • Sunny Morning on the Hudson River (1827): #2F2B1F #120E0F #B8C1AB #5C5537 #857E58 #4A381A
  • Study for the Pilgrim of the World at the End of His Journey (1847): #422311 #2B190C #58431B #170B04 #49381E #816634
  • The Departure (1837): #AB969F #211A10 #4E401E #9C8170 #352D16 #695521
  • The Garden of Eden (1828): #373329 #524832 #BFB6A6 #A1A19A #716448 #928673
  • Design for a Window: Ethelbert (date not known): #807453 #443E2A #282417 #61593F #19150C
  • Lovers in a Garden (?1863): #D1C2A8 #A9967B #775F46 #452D17
  • Figure of a Queen (1861): #D1CAAF #795D41 #9F896C #B6A78A #583922 #422512
  • Thisbe (1861): #AC9D80 #6F5238 #8F7A5D #442A18
  • Dido (1861): #C3B69B #6D4C30 #917657 #A99578 #492A16 #321A0C
  • St Luke (1872): #706752 #988A68 #4C4433 #8C8777 #826D44
  • Fountain of Youth (1873-81): #4B4139 #8C7762 #6E5641 #36302C #6F665C #B09474
  • The Temple of Love (date not known): #A79C83 #80755E #8A5041 #946A5F #9F8765 #69523F
  • King Cophetua and the Beggar Maid (1862): #5D584B #918671 #3F3934 #6C4231 #BAAE98 #563E34
  • The Call of Perseus; Perseus and the Graiae; Perseus and the Nereids (1875-6): #867965 #D6BB83 #A98E5B #B7B4A9 #555756 #6E5C3E
  • The Finding of Medusa; the Death of Medusa (the Birth of Pegasus and Chrysaor); Perseus Pursued by the Gorgons (1875-6): #8B7958 #5A5349 #AF9563 #645131 #CEB584 #AFA082
  • Atlas Turned to Stone; the Rock of Doom and the Doom Fulfilled; the Court of Phineas; the Baleful Head (1875-6): #897A60 #A28859 #C7AF82 #757777 #ACA38F #685942
  • Woman in an Interior (c.1861): #BEAE7D #11100C #50340E #271D10 #765921 #AC9454
  • Clerk Saunders (1861): #543D32 #6F4A37 #342E29 #9B7053 #6F6050 #D5A577
  • Frieze of Eight Women Gathering Apples (1876): #9F773F #C6A46B #E7C38F #877555 #B8AA8E #D79058
  • Sidonia von Bork (1860): #4D453B #33312D #735D41 #D6BD98 #AA9373 #85765F
  • Clara von Bork (1860): #4B3C2C #322D24 #746445 #221F1C #5B3832 #9E8765
  • The Voyage of Life: Childhood (1842): #35251B #8B6843 #5D3F2E #D7B38E #BC9178 #B0A799
  • Mount Aetna from Taormina (1842): #E2B88D #CAB5A9 #A497A3 #B4773D #5A311B #27100D
  • Sunset, View on the Catskill (1833): #190C08 #E3B89C #301D0D #C5926E #8C6234 #523B21
  • View of the Thames: #CE9775 #E2BA92 #614317 #A06E54 #8B6023 #3E2609
  • Kaaterskill Falls (1826): #230E10 #6C6660 #3D271F #543623 #715030 #51443B
  • The Subsiding of the Waters of the Deluge (1829): #0F0D0B #362811 #DED5BF #221A0D #E8D8B0 #684F1E

The Palette

The Works

How the palette changed

Chromatic Comparison

0 artists selected
Copied!