Empire More Furniture and Collectibles
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 More Furniture and Collectibles
Wood
1830s Russian Antique Empire More Furniture and Collectibles
Malachite, Ormolu
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Empire More Furniture and Collectibles
Wood
Mid-20th Century French Empire More Furniture and Collectibles
Fabric, Wood, Paint
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire More Furniture and Collectibles
Ormolu
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Empire More Furniture and Collectibles
Mahogany
1980s Vintage Empire More Furniture and Collectibles
Marble
19th Century French Antique Empire More Furniture and Collectibles
Brass
1810s French Antique Empire More Furniture and Collectibles
Brass
Mid-19th Century Austrian Antique Empire More Furniture and Collectibles
Gold Plate, Sterling Silver
1820s American Antique Empire More Furniture and Collectibles
Cherry, Poplar
Mid-17th Century French Antique Empire More Furniture and Collectibles
Wool
1870s French Antique Empire More Furniture and Collectibles
Brass
19th Century French Antique Empire More Furniture and Collectibles
Wool
2010s Australian Empire More Furniture and Collectibles
Fur
Early 20th Century Italian Empire More Furniture and Collectibles
Wood
Early 1800s French Antique Empire More Furniture and Collectibles
Paper, Wood
1960s French Vintage Empire More Furniture and Collectibles
Bronze
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Empire More Furniture and Collectibles
Metal, Brass
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire More Furniture and Collectibles
Mahogany
17th Century German Antique Empire More Furniture and Collectibles
Wool, Feathers
Early 1800s French Antique Empire More Furniture and Collectibles
Wool, Feathers
1930s Unknown Vintage Empire More Furniture and Collectibles
Wool, Cotton
Early 1800s French Antique Empire More Furniture and Collectibles
Textile
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire More Furniture and Collectibles
Cherry
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire More Furniture and Collectibles
Brass
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire More Furniture and Collectibles
Bronze
18th Century French Antique Empire More Furniture and Collectibles
Wool
Early 1800s French Antique Empire More Furniture and Collectibles
Bronze
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire More Furniture and Collectibles
Mahogany
19th Century Antique Empire More Furniture and Collectibles
Brass
1820s American Antique Empire More Furniture and Collectibles
Cherry, Poplar
1810s French Antique Empire More Furniture and Collectibles
Bronze
Early 19th Century European Antique Empire More Furniture and Collectibles
Silver, Brass
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Empire More Furniture and Collectibles
Metal
19th Century French Antique Empire More Furniture and Collectibles
Wood
Early 20th Century Hungarian Empire More Furniture and Collectibles
Pine
19th Century Antique Empire More Furniture and Collectibles
Brass
16th Century Belgian Antique Empire More Furniture and Collectibles
Wool
1860s French Antique Empire More Furniture and Collectibles
Wool
1860s French Antique Empire More Furniture and Collectibles
Wool, Cotton
1890s French Antique Empire More Furniture and Collectibles
Silk, Mahogany
19th Century French Antique Empire More Furniture and Collectibles
Gold Leaf, Bronze
19th Century French Antique Empire More Furniture and Collectibles
Bronze, Gold Leaf
1860s French Antique Empire More Furniture and Collectibles
Wool, Cotton
Early 1900s Turkish Antique Empire More Furniture and Collectibles
Wool, Silk
1960s Italian Vintage Empire More Furniture and Collectibles
Marble
1960s Italian Vintage Empire More Furniture and Collectibles
Glass, Wood
Early 19th Century Austrian Antique Empire More Furniture and Collectibles
Gold Plate, Sterling Silver
1850s Austrian Antique Empire More Furniture and Collectibles
Gold
Mid-20th Century French Empire More Furniture and Collectibles
Fabric, Wood
Early 1800s Danish Antique Empire More Furniture and Collectibles
Bronze
1880s Uzbek Antique Empire More Furniture and Collectibles
Wool, Silk
1960s French Vintage Empire More Furniture and Collectibles
Bronze
1860s French Antique Empire More Furniture and Collectibles
Wool, Cotton
1860s French Antique Empire More Furniture and Collectibles
Wool, Cotton
Early 20th Century French Empire More Furniture and Collectibles
Wood
Early 1800s French Antique Empire More Furniture and Collectibles
Paper, Wood
1850s French Antique Empire More Furniture and Collectibles
Wool, Cotton
1810s European Antique Empire More Furniture and Collectibles
Metal
1960s Italian Vintage Empire More Furniture and Collectibles
Marble
Early 19th Century Austrian Antique Empire More Furniture and Collectibles
Gold Plate, Sterling Silver
Mid-19th Century Austrian Antique Empire More Furniture and Collectibles
Gold Plate, Sterling Silver
Early 20th Century German Empire More Furniture and Collectibles
Sterling Silver
19th Century French Antique Empire More Furniture and Collectibles
Marble, Brass
Early 19th Century Austrian Antique Empire More Furniture and Collectibles
Gold Plate, Sterling Silver
17th Century French Antique Empire More Furniture and Collectibles
Wool, Feathers
18th Century French Antique Empire More Furniture and Collectibles
Silk
19th Century French Antique Empire More Furniture and Collectibles
Wool
1830s Russian Antique Empire More Furniture and Collectibles
Malachite, Ormolu
1820s Swedish Antique Empire More Furniture and Collectibles
Brass
1860s French Antique Empire More Furniture and Collectibles
Wool, Cotton
Mid-20th Century Dutch Empire More Furniture and Collectibles
Brass