Empire Sculptures
EMPIRE STYLE
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.
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Item Ships From: USA
Style: Empire
19th Century Continental Gilt Bronze Sculpture of Soldier
Located in Atlanta, GA
19th Century Continental Gilt Bronze Statue of Soldier. Continental gilt bronze figure of a Classical soldier, late 19th century, with sword extended, resting on a gilded octagonal m...
Category
1880s French Antique Empire Sculptures
Materials
Marble, Bronze
A Very Fine Gilt & Patinated Bronze Centerpiece in the Empire style.
Located in Atlanta, GA
A Very Fine Gilt & Patinated Bronze Centerpiece in the Empire style.
France, circa 1890.
Width 15 1/2" Height 18" Depth 5 1/2"
Category
1890s French Antique Empire Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
Pair 19th Century French Bronze Sphinx on Verde Antico Marble Bases
Located in Stamford, CT
A pair of French Empire bronze models of recumbent Sphinxes on Verdi Antico marble bases. The bronze with the warm golden patina of age. The custom marble bases, stepped on one side ...
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Sculptures
Materials
Marble, Bronze
Vintage Marble Pedestal with Greek Key Carving
Located in Chicago, IL
Vintage Marble Pedestal with Greek Key Carving
This white marble column with grey streaks has a Greek key band and other minimal carvings. It ...
Category
Mid-20th Century Unknown Empire Sculptures
Materials
Marble
Mid 20th century framed Italian bisque Taglio
Located in Allentown, PA
This is a mid 20th century Italian framed bisque Taglio. This Greco Roman style bisque porcelain medallion is framed in a gold leaf shadowbox frame with pink interior and gold detail...
Category
1950s Italian Vintage Empire Sculptures
Materials
Porcelain
19th Century French Pair of Bronze Girandoles Attributed to Friedrich Bergenfeld
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A gold-black, antique French pair of girandoles made of hand crafted gilded bronze attributed to Friedrich Bergenfeldt, in good condition. Eac...
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Sculptures
Materials
Metal, Brass, Bronze
Fine 19th Century European Gilt Bronze Ormolu Monstrance Reliquary
Located in Forney, TX
A scarce fine quality neoclassical Empire style vasiform gilt bronze ormolu church religious relic altar monstrance reliquary.
Exquisitely hand-crafted in Continental Europe in the second half of the 19th century, most likely French Napoleon III Period (1852-1870), having a fanned cross crest, above winged angel mask, central oval display...
Category
19th Century European Antique Empire Sculptures
Materials
Bronze, Ormolu
Empire Style Malachite on a Bronze Doré Gilded Stand Desk Decorative Object LA
Located in West Hollywood, CA
A Beautiful Empire style malachite orb on a bronze doré stand retour d'Egypte of 3 figures of standing maidens with a pine cone in the center an detailed crown holder hosting a large...
Category
19th Century French Antique Empire Sculptures
Materials
Malachite, Bronze
Pair of French Early 19th C. Patinated and Dore Bronze Egyptian Revival Chenets
Located in New York, NY
This pair of French chenets from the Early 1800s is a stunning example of Egyptian Revival design. The chenets feature a stately dark patina bronze sphynx body on top of a decorated ...
Category
1820s French Antique Empire Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
Wide Antique Carved Wooden Eagle from France, Circa 1810
Located in Dallas, TX
With a wingspan of five and a half feet wide, this wooden eagle has a commanding presence. Hand-carved in France, circa 1810, the eagle was crafted by a master-level woodworker. Notice how each feather has been carved with incredible detail, showing slight separations in the barbs that make up feathers.
The eagle is presented with wings displayed, as if in the midst of flight. Both legs are tucked under the body, as you might see on a gliding bird. The beak is open with a large hole that runs through to the back side, possibly indicating that at one time the eagle held something in its mouth.
When Napoleon became Emperor of the French in 1804, he brought about a striking shift in artwork and architecture, embracing the styles of ancient empires...
Category
1810s French Antique Empire Sculptures
Materials
Wood
19th Century French Vintage Napoleon Bonaparte Patinated Bronze Sculpture
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A 19th Century, black antique French bust of Napoleon Bonaparte made of hand crafted patinated bronze, in good condition. The small sculpture depicts Napoleon in his military outfit and in a commanding stance. The detailed Parisian décor...
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Sculptures
Materials
Metal, Bronze
French 1st Empire Period Dore Bronze Grouping of Lovers, Att. Thomire A Paris
Located in New York, NY
An Exceptional Antique French 1st Empire Period Dore Bronze Grouping of Lovers, Attributed to Pierre-Philippe Thomire a Paris. Exceptionally cast, hand-chiseled and further burnished and matted with two-tone gold, this dore bronze grouping of two neoclassical lovers is of the upmost quality and craftsmanship. As Pierre-Philippe Thomire is regarded as one of the greatest bronzier's of the late 18th century and early 19th century, this dore bronze piece could only be made by someone with his artistic talents. The lovers are seen with the man seated on a cushioned bench with tasseled...
Category
Early 1800s French Antique Empire Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
French Terracotta Bust of an Officer
Located in Essex, MA
In the Napoleonic style with much later faux marbre plinth.
Category
1850s European Antique Empire Sculptures
Materials
Terracotta
Cast Bronze Figural Lion Sculpture Marble Top Pedestals After P.J Mene, a Pair
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Cast bronze figural lion sculpture marble top pedestals after P.J Mene - a Pair. Item features right and left forms, heavy cast bronze lion figures, round black marble tops, signed "...
Category
Late 20th Century Empire Sculptures
Materials
Marble, Bronze
Large Plaster Bust of Napoleon
Located in New York, NY
Large plaster bust of napoleon.
Stained.
Category
20th Century European Empire Sculptures
Materials
Plaster
19th Century Meissen Group of Calvary General Mikhail Kutuzov with Aide de Camp
Located in New York, NY
A Very Large 19th century Meissen porcelain Group of Russian Calvary General, believed to be Mikhail Kutuzov, the hero of Borodino, with aide de camp, marked with the Meissen underglaze blue crossed swords, and incised and impressed with numbers. While Russia endured great hardships during Napoleon's invasion, it was the skill of her general's and a terrible Russian winter...
Category
1880s German Antique Empire Sculptures
Materials
Porcelain
After E. Lancere, E. Naps, Tsar's Falconer, Patinated Bronze Sculpture, ca. 1890
By Evgeny Aleksandrovich Lansere
Located in New York, NY
Sculpture: Tsar's Falconer.
Description: Excellent and detailed quality of the composition, very lifelike, finely detailed representation of a Tsar’s falconer, a main personage of every Tsar's grand hunting event.
Designer; Evgeny Alexandrovich Lansere (1848 - 1886) was a famous Russian sculptor of the 19th century; Lansere came from a family who came to Russia from France; he studied with the animal sculptor Nikolai Iwanowitsch Lieberich and specialized in the representation of horses and riders. In search of appropriate motifs, he traveled through the interior of both European and Asian Russia every year, and Algeria in 1883.
Artist: Evgeny Ivanovich...
Category
1890s Russian Antique Empire Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
French 19th Century Empire St. Patinated Bronze Eagle Statue
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A handsome and high quality French mid 19th century Empire st. patinated bronze eagle on a Vert de Patricia marble base. The richly detailed eagle is raised by a substantial and impressive square mottled Vert de Patricia base with cut corners. The fierce and richly chased open winged eagle stands...
Category
19th Century French Antique Empire Sculptures
Materials
Marble, Bronze
Pair of French 19th Century Gilt & Patinated Bronze Sphinxes on Porphyry & Bron
Located in Hudson, NY
Made in France circa 1840s this finely cast pair of sphinxes are represented in the recumbent position most associated with the form. Showing on both figures are two hieroglyphic car...
Category
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Sculptures
Materials
Porphyry, Bronze
Tiger or Lion Cat Paw Decorative Object or Bookend the Empire Style
Located in New York, NY
A substantial tiger or lion cat animal paw decorative object sculpture or bookend, in the Empire design style, circa late-20th century. A great decorative object for a shelf, mantel,...
Category
Late 20th Century Empire Sculptures
Materials
Composition
Large Antique French Empire Style Bronze and Marble Figural Clock
Located in New York, NY
A Large Antique French Empire style figural patinated bronze, gilt bronze and green marble clock depicting two neoclassical figures.
Category
Early 20th Century French Empire Sculptures
Materials
Ormolu, Bronze
Antique Carved Giltwood Eagle Statue
Located in Dallas, TX
This carved giltwood eagle statue is portrayed with outstretched wings and legs pulled up as though just landing upon something. There is a wooden peg on ...
Category
19th Century French Antique Empire Sculptures
Materials
Giltwood
Candelabras Male and Female 18-Karat Doré Bronze after Clodion the pair
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A Fine pair of Cherub candelabras cast in Lost Wax bronze with fine details and black patina and 18-karat Doré gold-plated made from the originals of Clodion. Wired and ready. Have ...
Category
1990s North American Empire Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
French Empire Bronze Doré and Patinated Clock Depicting Atlas-Early 19th Century
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Period French Empire Bronze Doré and Patinated Clock Depicting Atlas with original gilt edged and velvet lined case. Atlas son of Titan, from Greek mythology is holding the clock on ...
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Sculptures
Materials
Bronze, Steel
French Empire Parian Napoleon Bust
Located in New York, NY
French Empire style (late 19th Century) life size Parian bust of Napoleon on blue porcelain socle and square ormolu base (signed HOUDON, 1805)
Category
19th Century French Antique Empire Sculptures
Materials
Ormolu
French Empire Bronze Dore Eagle
Located in New York, NY
French Empire style bronze dore figure of perched eagle with spread wings (19/20th Cent.)
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
Pair of Wax Reliefs Attrib. to Pierre-Phillips Thomire of Napoleon and Josephine
Located in valatie, NY
Pair of Wax Reliefs attributed to Pierre-Phillips Thomire, (French 1751-1843). "Napoleon and Josephine," 1807, inscribed "Josephine/Thomire 1807." With pain...
Category
Early 1800s French Antique Empire Sculptures
French Empire Ebonized and Gilt Sphinx
Located in New York, NY
French Empire style (19th Cent) carved ebonized and gilt trimmed small sphinx figure with wings perched on base
Category
19th Century French Antique Empire Sculptures
19th c. French Empire Style Napoleon Bust by F.B. Launay
By Chaudet, F.B. Launay
Located in New York, NY
Nineteenth century French Empire patinated bronze bust depicting Napoleon. The work is labeled "Napoleon" and signed by F.B. Launay after the 1804 model by Antoine-Denise Chaudet.
Category
19th Century French Antique Empire Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
Small French Empire Style Bust of Napoleon I
Located in New York, NY
Small turn of the century French Empire style bronze bust representing Napoleon's uniformed likeness propped upon a white marble pedestal base adorned with a bronze letter "N."
Category
19th Century French Antique Empire Sculptures
Materials
Marble, Bronze
Pair of Continental Faux Painted Malachite Wooden Pyramids
Located in Southampton, NY
Pair of continental faux painted malachite wooden pyramids.
Category
1920s European Vintage Empire Sculptures
Antique French Empire Neoclassical Gilt Bronze Figural Clock
Located in New York, NY
An Exquisite Antique French Period Empire Neoclassical gilt bronze figural clock embellished with figure of a neoclassical woman and bird.
Category
19th Century French Antique Empire Sculptures
Materials
Ormolu, Steel, Enamel
French Folk Art Oak and Marble Eagle Figure
Located in New York, NY
French (19th Cent Napoleonic Era) folk art carved oak life size figure of an eagle with out stretched wings perched on a round globe with a marble base.
Category
19th Century French Antique Empire Sculptures
Materials
Marble
Unusual Pair Of Russian Empire Figural Bronze Candelabras
Located in New York, NY
An important pair of Russian Empire Figural patinated and Dore Bronze six-light candelabras with maidens and putties with verde antico marble bases. Eac...
Category
19th Century Russian Antique Empire Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
Life-size Gliedermann, Denmark, Circa 1860, Featured Ralph Lauren Madison Avenue
Located in New York, NY
19th century, life-size Gliedermann, origin: Denmark, circa 1860, original color
Featured in Ralph Lauren Madison Avenue Spring Fashion Windows, pho...
Category
19th Century Danish Antique Empire Sculptures
Materials
Wood
Empire sculptures for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a broad range of unique Empire sculptures for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the Late 20th Century, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage sculptures created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include decorative objects, building and garden elements, serveware, ceramics, silver and glass and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with metal, bronze and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Empire sculptures made in a specific country, there are Europe, France, and Italy pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original sculptures, popular names associated with this style include Europa Antiques, Jean-Antoine Houdon, Atelier de moulage du Louvre, and Auguste Nicholas Cain. It’s true that these talented designers have at times inspired knockoffs, but our experienced specialists have partnered with only top vetted sellers to offer authentic pieces that come with a buyer protection guarantee. Prices for sculptures differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $200 and tops out at $110,955 while the average work can sell for $4,617.