Empire Prints
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.
Mid-19th Century Antique Empire Prints
Paper
18th Century European Antique Empire Prints
Paper
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Empire Prints
Paper
Early 19th Century European Antique Empire Prints
Wood, Paper
Early 19th Century Antique Empire Prints
Giltwood
Early 19th Century English Antique Empire Prints
Glass, Mahogany, Paper
19th Century Antique Empire Prints
Iron
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Prints
Wood, Paper
1820s Austrian Antique Empire Prints
Alabaster, Bronze
1810s French Antique Empire Prints
Elm, Paper
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Prints
Paper
1810s French Antique Empire Prints
Paper, Elm
1950s French Vintage Empire Prints
Paper
18th Century Antique Empire Prints
Art Glass, Paper
1880s Scottish Antique Empire Prints
Paper
1650s French Antique Empire Prints
Paper
1750s French Antique Empire Prints
Paper
Mid-19th Century Antique Empire Prints
Paper
Late 18th Century Antique Empire Prints
Paper
Mid-19th Century Antique Empire Prints
Paper
20th Century Empire Prints
Glass, Paper
1890s German Antique Empire Prints
Paper
20th Century Empire Prints
Wood, Paper
1770s European Antique Empire Prints
Other
Mid-19th Century Antique Empire Prints
Paper
1950s French Vintage Empire Prints
Paper
Early 19th Century Antique Empire Prints
Giltwood
18th Century Antique Empire Prints
Giltwood
Early 19th Century Antique Empire Prints
Paper
Early 19th Century English Antique Empire Prints
Paper
19th Century French Antique Empire Prints
Paper, Resin
Early 20th Century French Empire Prints
Glass, Wood, Paper
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Prints
Paper
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Prints
Paper
1810s British Antique Empire Prints
Wood
1980s British Vintage Empire Prints
Paper
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Prints
Paper