Empire More Lighting
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 European Antique Empire More Lighting
Crystal, Bronze
Early 20th Century French Empire More Lighting
Crystal, Bronze
1970s Italian Vintage Empire More Lighting
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary German Empire More Lighting
Crystal
Early 20th Century European Empire More Lighting
Bronze
Early 20th Century French Empire More Lighting
Spelter
Early 18th Century European Antique Empire More Lighting
Crystal, Brass, Wire
19th Century French Antique Empire More Lighting
Bronze
19th Century European Antique Empire More Lighting
Crystal, Bronze
19th Century French Antique Empire More Lighting
Bronze
Early 20th Century Italian Empire More Lighting
Alabaster
1850s French Antique Empire More Lighting
Crystal, Bronze
19th Century French Antique Empire More Lighting
Bronze
1940s Italian Vintage Empire More Lighting
Crystal
1930s European Vintage Empire More Lighting
Crystal, Brass, Wire
1940s Italian Vintage Empire More Lighting
Crystal
Early 19th Century Antique Empire More Lighting
Brass
1840s European Antique Empire More Lighting
Crystal, Brass, Wire
20th Century French Empire More Lighting
Bronze
1970s Belgian Vintage Empire More Lighting
Metal
2010s German Empire More Lighting
Crystal, Wire, Iron
1810s French Antique Empire More Lighting
Bronze
19th Century Italian Antique Empire More Lighting
Carrara Marble, Bronze
1930s French Vintage Empire More Lighting
Crystal
21st Century and Contemporary Empire More Lighting
Bronze, Metal
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire More Lighting
Bronze
20th Century Empire More Lighting
Crystal
Early 1900s Czech Antique Empire More Lighting
Crystal
19th Century French Antique Empire More Lighting
Bronze
Early 19th Century Russian Antique Empire More Lighting
Rock Crystal, Bronze
1920s French Vintage Empire More Lighting
Bronze
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire More Lighting
Bronze
1940s European Vintage Empire More Lighting
Crystal, Brass, Wire
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire More Lighting
Crystal, Bronze
Late 20th Century Empire More Lighting
Crystal, Iron
Early 1900s French Antique Empire More Lighting
Marble, Bronze
1940s French Vintage Empire More Lighting
Crystal, Bronze
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire More Lighting
Bronze
1920s European Vintage Empire More Lighting
Crystal, Brass, Wire
1930s European Vintage Empire More Lighting
Crystal, Brass, Wire
1930s French Vintage Empire More Lighting
Crystal, Bronze
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire More Lighting
Crystal, Brass
20th Century European Empire More Lighting
Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary German Empire More Lighting
Crystal, Wire
1810s French Antique Empire More Lighting
Ormolu
1970s Italian Vintage Empire More Lighting
Brass
1970s Italian Vintage Empire More Lighting
Brass
Early 18th Century Russian Antique Empire More Lighting
Crystal, Brass
19th Century French Antique Empire More Lighting
Bronze
1940s Italian Vintage Empire More Lighting
Crystal
1970s Italian Vintage Empire More Lighting
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary German Empire More Lighting
Crystal, Wire
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire More Lighting
Bronze
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire More Lighting
Bronze
20th Century German Empire More Lighting
Brass
Early 2000s Austrian Empire More Lighting
Crystal, Metal
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire More Lighting
Crystal, Bronze
Early 1900s French Antique Empire More Lighting
Giltwood