Empire Furniture
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.
1970s European Vintage Empire Furniture
Crystal, Brass, Wire
Late 19th Century Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
Early 20th Century French Empire Furniture
Marble, Bronze
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Brass
Mid-19th Century British Antique Empire Furniture
Velvet, Ebony
1820s French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
20th Century English Empire Furniture
Leather, Walnut
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Empire Furniture
Carrara Marble, Wrought Iron
19th Century Antique Empire Furniture
Brass
1930s French Vintage Empire Furniture
Crystal, Silver
Early 20th Century French Empire Furniture
Crystal, Bronze
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Walnut
Early 19th Century American Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Brass
1940s French Vintage Empire Furniture
Brass
Late 20th Century Empire Furniture
Iron
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Brass, Bronze
1890s French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
1930s French Vintage Empire Furniture
Metal, Bronze
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Carrara Marble, Metal
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Ormolu
Late 20th Century Empire Furniture
Brass
1850s French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Bronze
1810s European Antique Empire Furniture
Metal
1790s French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Bronze
Early 20th Century Swedish Empire Furniture
Fabric, Mahogany
19th Century Italian Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Ormolu
Early 1800s Antique Empire Furniture
Mahogany
1970s Italian Vintage Empire Furniture
Brass
Early 20th Century French Empire Furniture
Walnut
21st Century and Contemporary Asian Empire Furniture
Wood
Early 20th Century Swedish Empire Furniture
Fabric, Mahogany
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Fabric, Mahogany
Late 20th Century Empire Furniture
Granite
18th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Mahogany
19th Century Antique Empire Furniture
Mahogany
20th Century French Empire Furniture
Bronze
1970s Italian Vintage Empire Furniture
Brass
Late 19th Century Danish Antique Empire Furniture
Metal
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Onyx, Bronze
1850s French Antique Empire Furniture
Metal, Bronze
1830s French Antique Empire Furniture
Wood
19th Century Italian Antique Empire Furniture
Canvas, Wood
Early 20th Century English Empire Furniture
Crystal, Silver Plate
1940s Russian Vintage Empire Furniture
Crystal
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Iron
1820s Danish Antique Empire Furniture
Mahogany
Early 2000s Unknown Empire Furniture
Wool, Cotton
20th Century French Empire Furniture
Malachite, Ormolu
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Ormolu
1860s French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
1990s American Empire Furniture
Marble, Brass
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze, Brass
Early 19th Century Austrian Antique Empire Furniture
Mirror, Pearwood, Lacquer
1870s French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Brass
Late 19th Century English Antique Empire Furniture
Brass
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Mahogany