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 French Vintage Empire Furniture
Brass, Steel
Early 2000s Unknown Empire Furniture
Wool, Cotton
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Porcelain, Paint
1960s Italian Vintage Empire Furniture
Gold Plate, Sterling Silver, Enamel
Late 19th Century Italian Antique Empire Furniture
Ormolu
1860s English Antique Empire Furniture
Brass
1810s Austrian Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Ormolu
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Brass
Early 2000s Unknown Empire Furniture
Wool, Cotton
1870s French Antique Empire Furniture
Silk, Walnut, Paint
1840s Danish Antique Empire Furniture
Elm
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Brass
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Siena Marble, Bronze
1960s French Vintage Empire Furniture
Brass
1810s French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Brass, Bronze
Mid-20th Century Unknown Empire Furniture
Marble
19th Century European Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Bronze
1960s American Vintage Empire Furniture
Leather, Mahogany
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Mahogany
19th Century Antique Empire Furniture
Upholstery, Wood
20th Century Unknown Empire Furniture
Wool, Cotton
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Ormolu
Early 1900s French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
Mid-20th Century European Empire Furniture
Bronze
1840s Antique Empire Furniture
Mahogany
19th Century Dutch Antique Empire Furniture
Brass
19th Century Swedish Antique Empire Furniture
Wood
Early 19th Century Danish Antique Empire Furniture
Brass
Early 20th Century Empire Furniture
Marble, Bronze
1820s French Antique Empire Furniture
Porcelain
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Empire Furniture
Glass, Mahogany
1950s Italian Vintage Empire Furniture
Metal
Early 20th Century French Empire Furniture
Fabric, Wood
20th Century French Empire Furniture
Lapis Lazuli, Malachite, Ormolu
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
1940s Russian Vintage Empire Furniture
Crystal
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Porcelain
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Empire Furniture
Mahogany
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Ormolu
20th Century Austrian Empire Furniture
Crystal, Ormolu
Early 19th Century Danish Antique Empire Furniture
Brass
1820s French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
Early 1800s Italian Antique Empire Furniture
Silver Leaf
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Mahogany
Mid-20th Century Empire Furniture
Silver Plate
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Empire Furniture
Glass, Wood
Early 1800s Austrian Antique Empire Furniture
Silver
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Metal, Brass
19th Century Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Brass
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Porcelain
1970s Italian Vintage Empire Furniture
Brass
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
Early 19th Century Belgian Antique Empire Furniture
Mahogany
20th Century Empire Furniture
Bronze
1910s Czech Vintage Empire Furniture
Crystal, Bronze