Caput Mortuum color palettes #5C2A38

Violet-brown iron oxide — a dried-blood dark used for shadows and drapery.

Where Caput Mortuum comes from

An iron-oxide pigment whose alchemical name means 'dead head'. Painters used it for warm shadows that charcoal could not give; it sits between maroon and brown and refuses to go fully black.

Also searched as caput mortuum, dead head, violet brown, iron brown, mars violet.

11 palettes built on Caput Mortuum

Each palette anchors on Caput Mortuum #5C2A38 and is validated under daylight, incandescent, fluorescent, and LED light.

Tonal

Caput Mortuum Soft Ladder

Monochrome UI scales and finish studies

light #fbe3e3, support #c6b0b9, support #9d777c, support #744456, anchor #5c2a38, dark #371019

Caput Mortuum Shadow Ladder

Dark-mode surfaces, deep textiles, lacquer

light #f6dee0, support #826167, support #68454b, anchor #5c2a38, support #3e1825, dark #1f0006

Analogous

Caput Mortuum and Berry Boost

The neighborhood at full voice — foliage, fruit, saturated print

light #e9cfcf, support #f59598, support #bb5a90, support #89393a, anchor #5c2a38, dark #31091f

Caput Mortuum and Herb Robert

Gradients, environmental and atmospheric work

light #f3d7ea, support #e1a0e4, support #9a7f78, support #634f62, anchor #5c2a38, dark #280908

Contrast

Caput Mortuum and Illuminating Emerald

One opposed voice — editorial and brand statements

light #dce1b8, support #d1acce, counterpoint #30907a, support #465945, anchor #5c2a38, dark #200803

Caput Mortuum and Dover Straits

Warm against cool — the mid-gap companion the complement skips

light #fbdefb, support #d9a9c6, support #7b7fa9, counterpoint #3a67ad, anchor #5c2a38, dark #060929

Caput Mortuum and Snarky Mint

One opposed voice — editorial and brand statements

light #e3ecc5, counterpoint #91e47c, support #b86b60, support #4e5541, anchor #5c2a38, dark #1e0503

Caput Mortuum and Avocado Cream

A defensible odd couple — editorial and fashion risk

light #f8e8c5, counterpoint #bcc267, support #b36e67, support #5b5343, anchor #5c2a38, dark #1f0906

Caput Mortuum and Sea Bed

One opposed voice — editorial and brand statements

light #cbd8b9, support #ccacc1, counterpoint #22838f, support #475b49, anchor #5c2a38, dark #1f0b1e

Quiet Support

Caput Mortuum Gallery

Brand systems, print, identity

light #f6ebee, support #c3b3b9, support #997c85, support #5d4e50, anchor #5c2a38, dark #1a1110

Shifted

Caput Mortuum and Apricot Brown

Interiors, packaging, textiles — the warm mid-gap pairing

light #ffe8e5, support #d4acad, counterpoint #cb7f57, support #6d4741, anchor #5c2a38, dark #210806

Other unusual pairings