Empire Garden Ornaments
From 1804–15, Napoléon I reigned as the emperor of France, bringing the country into a new era of opulence after the fall of the monarchy and the tumultuous years of the French Revolution. He declared, “We must have very solid things, made to last 100 years.” Empire-style furniture followed suit, with imposing pieces constructed from mahogany and adorned with gilded ornaments. Expanding on the neoclassicism popularized in the previous century — such as in Louis XVI style — Empire style borrowed from the great civilizations of antiquity, from Egypt to Greece and Rome, to connect this nascent empire to the power of the past.
Napoléon I believed the production of fine furniture would reflect the stature of the republic, with his official architects Charles Percier and Pierre-François-Léonard Fontaine leading the way with their work on his residences.
Luxurious materials, symmetrical shapes and bold colors characterize antique Empire-style bedroom furniture, armchairs, cabinets and other structures, with frequent motifs including mythological creatures, geometric designs, acanthus leaves, eagles, bees (the imperial emblem) and swans, a favorite of Empress Joséphine.
Flat surfaces, like marble tabletops, were accented with decadent details, such as the bronze furniture mounts made by sculptor Pierre-Philippe Thomire for the French palaces. Martin-Guillaume Biennais, who worked as the imperial goldsmith, crafted intricate luxury objects that mixed wood, fine metal, mother-of-pearl and ivory. Ormolu — or elaborate bronze gilding — was essential to French design in the 18th and 19th centuries as a cornerstone of the neoclassical and Empire styles.
The style became popular abroad, influencing the American Empire style. Stately pieces carved with sprigs of olives by cabinetmaker Pierre-Antoine Bellange were acquired by American President James Monroe for the White House in 1817.
Find a collection of antique Empire tables, lighting, seating and other furniture on 1stDibs.
19th Century French Antique Empire Garden Ornaments
Iron
Early 19th Century English Antique Empire Garden Ornaments
Iron
Late 19th Century American Antique Empire Garden Ornaments
Copper
19th Century English Antique Empire Garden Ornaments
Terracotta
Early 20th Century American Empire Garden Ornaments
Iron
1950s North American Vintage Empire Garden Ornaments
Iron
1820s American Antique Empire Garden Ornaments
Iron
1940s American Vintage Empire Garden Ornaments
Iron
1940s American Vintage Empire Garden Ornaments
Iron
1920s English Vintage Empire Garden Ornaments
Iron
20th Century English Empire Garden Ornaments
Brass
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Garden Ornaments
Zinc, Steel
1990s American Empire Garden Ornaments
Iron
19th Century Greek Antique Empire Garden Ornaments
Terracotta, Pottery
19th Century Italian Antique Empire Garden Ornaments
Scagliola
Early 1800s French Antique Empire Garden Ornaments
Iron
1810s French Antique Empire Garden Ornaments
Pewter