Empire Building and Garden Elements
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.
Early 20th Century English Empire Building and Garden Elements
Bronze
Early 20th Century Empire Building and Garden Elements
Alabaster
Early 20th Century American Empire Building and Garden Elements
Mahogany
Early 20th Century Empire Building and Garden Elements
Marble, Bronze
Early 1900s Antique Empire Building and Garden Elements
Wood, Paint
Early 20th Century Empire Building and Garden Elements
Brass, Iron
Early 1900s Antique Empire Building and Garden Elements
Brass
Early 20th Century American Empire Building and Garden Elements
Brass
Early 1900s Antique Empire Building and Garden Elements
Bronze, Iron
Early 20th Century English Empire Building and Garden Elements
Brass, Steel
Early 20th Century English Empire Building and Garden Elements
Limestone, Steel, Iron
Early 20th Century English Empire Building and Garden Elements
Copper
Early 20th Century French Empire Building and Garden Elements
Glass, Mirror, Pine
Early 20th Century French Empire Building and Garden Elements
Early 20th Century English Empire Building and Garden Elements
Siena Marble, Marble
Early 20th Century French Empire Building and Garden Elements
Bronze, Iron
Early 20th Century French Empire Building and Garden Elements
Bronze
Early 20th Century European Empire Building and Garden Elements
Bronze
1910s Slovak Vintage Empire Building and Garden Elements
Brass
19th Century Italian Antique Empire Building and Garden Elements
Giltwood
1970s American Vintage Empire Building and Garden Elements
Ceramic
1950s Asian Vintage Empire Building and Garden Elements
Wood
Early 20th Century Empire Building and Garden Elements
Marble
Late 20th Century Empire Building and Garden Elements
Mahogany
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Building and Garden Elements
Pine
19th Century Swedish Antique Empire Building and Garden Elements
Wood
20th Century Empire Building and Garden Elements
Wood
1920s French Vintage Empire Building and Garden Elements
Marble
1880s French Antique Empire Building and Garden Elements
Marble
20th Century Italian Empire Building and Garden Elements
Alabaster
Early 20th Century Empire Building and Garden Elements
Alabaster
Early 20th Century Empire Building and Garden Elements
Iron, Bronze
1910s French Vintage Empire Building and Garden Elements
Marble, Brass
Early 20th Century French Empire Building and Garden Elements
Brass
Early 20th Century Empire Building and Garden Elements
Bronze, Iron
Early 20th Century French Empire Building and Garden Elements
Bronze, Zinc
Early 20th Century French Empire Building and Garden Elements
Copper, Metal
Early 20th Century French Empire Building and Garden Elements
Early 20th Century French Empire Building and Garden Elements
Early 20th Century Empire Building and Garden Elements
Bronze
Early 20th Century French Empire Building and Garden Elements
Statuary Marble, Brass
Early 20th Century French Empire Building and Garden Elements
Bronze