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.
Late 19th Century French Picture Frame - Empire Style - Gilt Copper
Located in Casteren, Noord-Brabant
Elegant French photo frame in Empire style, dating from the late 19th century. The frame is decorated with finely detailed gilt copper ornaments that give it a refined and timeless c...
Copper
$280Sale Price|20% Off
Vintage French Rectangular Ribbed Wood Gilt Gold Art Frame
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Very charming ribbed gilt gold art frame found in a Paris market. Perfect piece for that special oil painting or watercolor. The frame has fantastic patina throughout. Inside measure...
Gold
$1,196Sale Price|20% Off
Exceptional 19th Century French Bronze Frame w/ Portrait Painting of Josephine
Located in Atlanta, GA
This exquisite miniature portrait is attributed to Empress Josephine, capturing her regal presence with remarkable detail and sophistication. She is dressed in a sumptuous white gown...
Bronze
Danish Rectangular Empire Wood Gilt Gold Art Frame
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Impressive Danish gilt gold art frame found in a market in Denmark. Perfect piece for that special oil painting or watercolor. The frame has wonderful patina throughout and would loo...
Gold
European Rectangular Wood Gilt Gold Silver Art Frame, 19th Century
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Impressive gilt gold and silver art frame found in a market in Copenhagen, Denmark. Perfect piece for that special oil painting or watercolor. The frame has wonderful patina througho...
Gold, Silver
Vintage Danish Rectangular Wood Gilt Gold Art Frame
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Impressive Danish gilt gold art frame found in a Paris market. Perfect piece for that special oil painting or watercolor. The frame has wonderful patina throughout and would look fan...
Gold
Pair of French Rectangular Silver Leaf Gilt Wood Art Frames
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
As found in Europe, a pair of impressive rectangular antique wooden frames in silver gilt leaf with great patina. This set would be suitable for most style artwork including prints, ...
Silver Leaf
European Rectangular Silver Leaf Gilt Wood Art Frame
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Vintage impressive wooden frame in silver gilt, with great patina, that would be suitable for most style artwork including prints, watercolors as well as oil on board paintings. Wond...
Silver Leaf
Picture Frame Holder pocket Sterling Silver Enamel 3 Photographs
By Franco Salimbeni, Salimbeni
Located in Firenze, FI
Pocket photos holder in sterling silver 925/1000 gold plated with two-tone translucent fired enamels on guillochè, with hand-engraved edges. Empire style Napoleon III. Octagonal hing...
Gold, Gold Plate, Sterling Silver, Enamel
Picture frame Green Empire style ornaments Enamel Sterling Silver Salimbeni
By Salimbeni
Located in Firenze, FI
Rectangular photo frame in gold-plated 925/1000 sterling silver with translucent emerald green enamel on guilloche, with late 19th century Russian Empire style ornaments. Blue alcant...
Gold Plate, Sterling Silver, Enamel
Picture frame Red Empire style ornaments Enamel Sterling Silver Salimbeni
By Salimbeni
Located in Firenze, FI
Rectangular photo frame in gold-plated 925/1000 sterling silver with translucent ruby red enamel on guilloche, with late 19th century Russian Empire style ornaments. Blue alcantara p...
Gold Plate, Sterling Silver, Enamel
Picture Frame large size Red Enamel on Sterling Silver Salimbeni
By Franco Salimbeni, Salimbeni
Located in Firenze, FI
Large shaped photograph frame in gold plated 925/1000 sterling silver with translucent fired enamel on guillochè with borders and laurel frieze in Louis XVI French Empire style. Exte...
Gold Plate, Sterling Silver, Enamel
Picture Frame with enamel on a sunburst guilloché Salimbeni.
By Salimbeni, Giorgio Salimbeni
Located in Firenze, FI
Embrace a timeless treasure that echoes grandeur: an exquisite oval-shaped photo frame, sculpted from 925/1000 gold-plated sterling silver. Its translucent enamel adorns a sunburst g...
Gold, Gold Plate, Sterling Silver, Enamel
Large Gilt Brass and Green Fabric Photo Frame, Napoleon III Period, Empire Style
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Large gilt brass and green fabric photo frame, Napoleon III period, Empire style, 19th century. 19th century gilt brass and green fabric photo frame, large size for 3 photos, Empire...
Brass
Photo Frame Large Imperial Style White and Green enamel on Sterling Silver Salim
By Franco Salimbeni, Salimbeni
Located in Firenze, FI
Large shaped frame for photographs in gold plated 925/1000 sterling silver with translucent two-tone fired enamels on guillochè and rich friezes in the French Empire Louis XVI style ...
Gold Plate, Sterling Silver, Enamel
Empire Giltwood Carved Frame
Located in New Orleans, LA
Period Empire giltwood frame.
Giltwood
Set of Two Small European Gilt Gold Wood Art Frames, 19th Century
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Impressive gilt gold art frames found in a market in Denmark. Perfect pieces for that special oil painting or watercolor. The frames have wonderful patina throughout and would look f...
Gold
Danish Rectangular Empire Wood Gilt Gold Art Frame
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Impressive Danish gilt gold art frame found in a market in Denmark. Perfect piece for that special oil painting or watercolor. The frame has wonderful patina throughout and would loo...
Gold
French Sevres Green Ground Porcelain Framed Charger Napoleon Courting Josephine
By Manufacture Nationale de Sèvres
Located in Tarzana, CA
A Large and very fine French Sevres green ground porcelain framed charger depicting the consecration of the Emperor Napoleon I and coronation of the...
Porcelain
Bronze Dore Antique Photo Frame 7" H x 9-1/2" W
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Bronze Dore Antique Photo Frame. Excellent condition. 7" H x 9-1/2" W.
Bronze
French Empire Style Table Picture Frame in Brass, Velvet and Glass
Located in Milan, IT
French Empire Style Table Picture Frame in Brass, Velvet and Glass
Brass
Empire Gilt Bronze Picture Frame
Located in London, GB
Empire gilt bronze picture frame French, 19th Century Measures: Height 11cm, width 8cm, depth 0.5cm The rectangular picture frame featur...
Ormolu
Danish Rectangular Empire Burl Wood Art Frame
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Impressive Danish burl wood art frame found in a market in Denmark. Perfect piece for that special oil painting or watercolor. The frame has wonderful patina throughout and would loo...
Wood, Burl
Pair of Italian Carved and Gilded Frames Rome 18th Century
Located in Milano, MI
Pair Roman Gilded Frames 1700, rare pair of antique carved and gilded wooden frames, Rome 18th century. Rectangular in shape, with three orders of carving, this pendant of ancient Ro...
Giltwood
Picture Frame with two-tone enamel stripes on guilloché Salimbeni.
By Salimbeni, Franco Salimbeni
Located in Firenze, FI
Rectangular frame in 925/1000 sterling silver gold plated with two-tone enamel stripes on guilloché and fine hand engravings French Empire style. With 2 oval photo holders, internal ...
Gold, Gold Plate, Sterling Silver, Enamel
Period Giltwood Italian Empire Style Frame
Located in Roma, IT
Wonderful Italian Empire original giltwood frame. Early 19th Century Internal measurements cm 13 x 10 Every item of our Gallery, upon request, is accompanied by a certifica...
Wood
French 19th century Empire st. Mahogany and Gilt Metal picture frame
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
An exquisite French 19th century Empire st. Mahogany and Gilt Metal picture frame. This impressive picture frame displays three sections for photos and can be hang or showcased on a ...
Ormolu
Set of 3 Hand-Crafted European Silver Leaf Wood Picture Frames, 1960s
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
These impressive detailed frames with light touch of silver gilt would be suitable for most style artwork including prints, watercolors as well as oil on board paintings. It's not ea...
Silver Leaf
$491Sale Price|20% Off
Preparatory Drawings Empire Antique Inspirations 19th Century
Located in Beuzevillette, FR
Very nice sketches of characters. Representing different emotions, clothes and personalities. We have a portrait of a strong woman with arrows. Below this woman, there is a representation of oriental characters, also called barbarians during Antiquity. Finally, on the left, another woman is represented with her head in her hands and sitting on a Klismos chair. This chair is typical of the ancient period. It is written at the bottom right "March 15", surely the date of creation of this sketch. The Empire style and period are inspired by Greco-Roman art, it is called the neoclassical. The woman on this drawing wears an empire style dress...
Paper
Picture Frame oval photos French Empire Napoleon III style Salimbeni
By Salimbeni, Franco Salimbeni
Located in Firenze, FI
Rectangular photo frame in 925/1000 gold-plated sterling silver with translucent enamel fired on guilloche and hand-painted miniature of a garland of flowers with oval border, intern...
Gold Plate, Sterling Silver, Enamel
Pair Of 19th Century Doré Bronze Portrait Medallions Mounted on Carrara Marble
Located in Bradenton, FL
Pair of 19th Century round French Royalty Doré bronze portrait medallions mounted on Carrara marble. Portraits are gold in color and trim and framed in 1.5" dark wood frame. Round br...
Marble, Bronze
Photograph Frame Large Imperial Style White Enamel on Sterling Silver Salimbeni
By Franco Salimbeni, Salimbeni
Located in Firenze, FI
Large gold-plated 925/1000 sterling silver shaped photograph frame with translucent fired enamel on guillochè and rich friezes in Louis XVI French Empire style. External measurements...
Gold Plate, Sterling Silver, Enamel
Red Photo Frame French Empire Louis XVI style Sterling Silver Enamel Salimbeni
By Salimbeni, Giorgio Salimbeni
Located in Firenze, FI
Rectangular photo frame in 925/1000 sterling silver gold plated with translucent fired enamel on guillochè, with French Empire Louis XVI style border and rich ornamentation around th...
Sterling Silver, Enamel
$4,576Sale Price|23% Off
Photo Frame inserted into a harp-shaped object Sterling Silver Salimbeni
By Giorgio Salimbeni, Salimbeni
Located in Firenze, FI
Oval photo frame inserted into a harp-shaped object, in 925/1000 sterling silver gold plated with translucent fired enamels on guilloché inspired by a model created by Peter Carl Fab...
Gold Plate, Sterling Silver, Enamel
Photo Frame Heart-Shaped Fired Enamel on Guillochè Sterling Silver Salimbeni
By Salimbeni, Giorgio Salimbeni
Located in Firenze, FI
Heart-shaped rounded frame with oval photo in 925/1000 sterling silver gold plated with translucent fired enamel on guillochè. With hinged silver-gilt foot engraved in Empire style. ...
Gold Plate, Sterling Silver, Enamel
Bronze Dore, Rectangle Photo Frame, French
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Bronze Dore, Rectangle Photo Frame, French 19th Century, 7 x 10
Bronze
Pair of Late 19th Century French Empire Style Picture Frames
Located in London, GB
Pair of late 19th century French Empire style picture frames French, Late 19th century Height 16cm, width 11.5cm, depth 2/ 7 cm Circular in shape and mounted in an easel style, this...
Metal