Empire Decorative Objects
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.
1810s French Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Ormolu, Bronze, Enamel
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Bronze, Enamel
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Wood
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Metal, Bronze
19th Century French Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Bronze
1890s French Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Bronze
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Metal, Bronze
1940s French Vintage Empire Decorative Objects
Griotte Marble, Bronze
1820s French Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Bronze
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Bronze
Early 19th Century European Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Bronze
Early 1800s French Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Bronze, Ormolu
20th Century French Empire Decorative Objects
Marble, Bronze
19th Century French Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Marble, Bronze
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Ormolu
1890s German Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Silver Plate, Pewter
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Leather, Wood
Early 19th Century Sicilian Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Giltwood
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Ormolu
1960s Italian Vintage Empire Decorative Objects
Gold Plate, Sterling Silver, Enamel
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Porcelain
1820s French Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Gold Plate, Bronze
1820s French Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Tin
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Brass
1820s French Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Bronze
19th Century French Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Metal, Tôle
Mid-20th Century European Empire Decorative Objects
Silver Leaf
Early 20th Century French Empire Decorative Objects
Bronze
1810s French Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Ceramic
19th Century French Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Marble, Metal, Bronze, Enamel, Ormolu
Early 19th Century Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Bronze
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Bronze, Ormolu
19th Century French Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Marble, Bronze, Enamel
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Bronze
1960s Italian Vintage Empire Decorative Objects
Gold, Gold Plate, Sterling Silver, Enamel
Mid-20th Century French Empire Decorative Objects
Bronze
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Porcelain
Early 1800s French Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Bronze, Ormolu
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Marble, Bronze
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Marble
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Bronze
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Bronze
19th Century French Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Brass, Bronze
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Bronze
1820s French Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Bronze
19th Century French Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Bronze
20th Century French Empire Decorative Objects
Brass
1890s Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Marble
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Bronze
Early 1900s French Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Brass
1920s French Vintage Empire Decorative Objects
Bronze, Brass
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Marble
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Metal
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Gold
1970s Italian Vintage Empire Decorative Objects
Gold Plate, Sterling Silver, Enamel
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Brass
1970s Italian Vintage Empire Decorative Objects
Gold, Gold Plate, Sterling Silver, Enamel
19th Century French Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Ormolu
Mid-20th Century English Empire Decorative Objects
Crystal
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Metal