Empire Chairs
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.
1810s European Antique Empire Chairs
Wood
19th Century French Antique Empire Chairs
Velvet, Walnut
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Empire Chairs
Upholstery, Giltwood
1880s French Antique Empire Chairs
Mahogany
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Chairs
Silk, Mahogany
Mid-19th Century Danish Antique Empire Chairs
Fabric, Beech, Mahogany
19th Century British Antique Empire Chairs
Leather, Cane, Beech
1890s Swedish Antique Empire Chairs
Walnut
1890s Swedish Antique Empire Chairs
Walnut
1890s Swedish Antique Empire Chairs
Walnut
Late 20th Century American Empire Chairs
Leather, Wood
Mid-19th Century Italian Antique Empire Chairs
Gold
1950s Italian Vintage Empire Chairs
Fabric, Wood
Early 20th Century French Empire Chairs
Cotton, Walnut
2010s Italian Empire Chairs
Gold Leaf, Silver Leaf
2010s Italian Empire Chairs
Gold Leaf, Silver Leaf
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Chairs
Mahogany
17th Century Italian Antique Empire Chairs
Hardwood, Cane
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Empire Chairs
Brass, Ormolu
1860s French Antique Empire Chairs
Tapestry, Walnut
19th Century European Antique Empire Chairs
Ormolu
1820s Italian Antique Empire Chairs
Mahogany
1860s French Antique Empire Chairs
Tapestry, Walnut
1860s French Antique Empire Chairs
Tapestry, Walnut
1860s French Antique Empire Chairs
Tapestry, Walnut
19th Century German Antique Empire Chairs
Mahogany
1920s Danish Vintage Empire Chairs
Mahogany
Late 20th Century Empire Chairs
Wood
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Chairs
Maple
21st Century and Contemporary Empire Chairs
Metal, Brass
1870s Swedish Antique Empire Chairs
Pine, Paint
19th Century French Antique Empire Chairs
Wood
19th Century Antique Empire Chairs
Mahogany
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Chairs
Cherry
1830s French Antique Empire Chairs
Mahogany
19th Century French Antique Empire Chairs
Bronze
Late 20th Century French Empire Chairs
Leather, Mahogany
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Chairs
Wood
1810s Baltic Antique Empire Chairs
Mahogany
1810s French Antique Empire Chairs
Walnut
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Chairs
Wood
1810s French Antique Empire Chairs
Walnut
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Empire Chairs
Early 17th Century Antique Empire Chairs
Gold Leaf
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Chairs
Bronze
Late 19th Century Italian Antique Empire Chairs
Wood
Early 20th Century Hungarian Empire Chairs
Pine
21st Century and Contemporary American Empire Chairs
Nickel
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Chairs
Giltwood, Ebony
Early 19th Century American Antique Empire Chairs
Mahogany, Cane
Early 20th Century French Empire Chairs
Leather, Wood
1840s Danish Antique Empire Chairs
Fabric, Birch
2010s Italian Empire Chairs
Gold Leaf
2010s Italian Empire Chairs
Gold Leaf
2010s Italian Empire Chairs
Gold Leaf
Early 20th Century Austrian Empire Chairs
Brass
2010s Italian Empire Chairs
Gold Leaf
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Chairs
Upholstery, Mahogany