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.
French 19th Century Empire St. Three Piece Porcelain from Limoges, France
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A very handsome 19th century French Empire st. three piece Limoges porcelain set, from Limoges, France. The three pieces, one bowl and two vases, are hand painted with wonderful scen...
Porcelain
Early 19th Century Cup in Egyptian Porphyry and Bronze with Cupids
Located in Peyraud, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Imposing cup in red, Egyptian porphyry featuring three cupids on a circular base. The patinated bronze cupids serve as the supporting stem for the wide-rimmed cup. Two of the cupids ...
Porphyry, Bronze
19th Century Pair of French Empire Urns, Porcelain, 1880
Located in Phoenix, AZ
19th Century French Empire Urns. Beautiful pair purchased in France. Age appropriate wear, see detailed photos or message us with questions.
Porcelain
Pair of Large Fuseau Vases in Porcelaine de Paris, Empire Period
Located in Peyraud, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Large pair of painted fuseau vases in Porcelaine de Paris from the Empire period. The neck and the pedestal of the vases are in burnished gold and feature laurel crowns and stylized ...
Porcelain
$960Sale Price / set|20% Off
Antique Grainger Worcester Covered Urns, Porcelain, Pair, Hand-Painted, 1890
Located in Montreal, QC
This pair of simulated marble covered urns are amphora-shaped, raised on gilt hoof feet on a stepped trefoil base, each domed cover has a lobed fini...
Porcelain
Pair French Empire Bronze & Ormolu Medici Putti Vases on Grey Marble Plinths
Located in New York, NY
A Pair of French Empire Period Patinated Bronze and Ormolu Medici form Vases on Grey Marble Plinths, with neoclassical Putti Motifs. The pair of vases are constructed in the Medici f...
Marble, Bronze
Empire period bronze and ormolu Grecian style pair of classical urns, circa 1830
Located in Central England, GB
This superb quality pair of French Empire classical twin handled urns is very stylish and cast in very heavy solid bronze with alternate sections highlighted with original ormolu whi...
Bronze, Ormolu
$6,000Sale Price / set|20% Off
Pair French 19th C. Blue & 2-Tone Gold Ground Porcelain Vases w/ Gold Handles
Located in New York, NY
A Beautiful Pair of French 19th Century Empire Blue and Two-Tone Gold Ground Porcelain vases with White Medallion Gold Handles. Each piece is beautifully hand-painted with gorgeous l...
Porcelain
Pair of Empire Style Vases in Blue and Gold Porcelain
Located in Prato, IT
Germany, mid-20th century Empire style Blue and gold painted porcelain and white background band with floral decoration Dimensions cm W28 x D20...
Porcelain
Empire German Ormolu Mntd Mahogany Turtle Feet Jardiniere, Klinkerfuss & Münch
By Johannes Klinkerfuss
Located in New York, NY
A Fantastic and Very Important Empire Period German Ormolu-Mounted Mahogany Jardiniere Mounted on Dore Bronze Turtle Feet, In The Manner Of Johannes Klinkerfuss And Casimir Münch. This is truly a masterpiece jardiniere and was crafted by two of the greatest cabinet-makers of all time Johannes Klinkerfuss and Casimir Münch. This piece has an octagonal form with foliate and swan-decorated dore bronze hand-chiseled and two-tone matted gold gallery above a molded top. The gorgeous mahogany wood glistens beside the dore bronze mounts. Each inch of this piece is crafted of the finest quality. The upper mahogany jardiniere is mounted on eight gorgeously life-like top-quality dore bronze turtles, each hand-chiseled, chased and matted with two-tone gold. Stuttgart, Circa: 1815. Provenance: The Tony Ingrao...
Bronze
Pair of French Empire Style Onyx and Gilded Bronze Tazzas
Located in Los Angeles, CA
An elegant pair of hand carved and polished onyx tazzas in the Empire style with gilded bronze mounts.
Onyx, Bronze
$2,640Sale Price|20% Off
Early 19th C. Sicilian Glass Pharmacy Jar Set, 3 Pieces
Located in Ross, CA
Originally handblown in Sicily in the early 19th century, this impressive pharmacy pot incorporates two separate containers and a lid, and would have been...
Blown Glass
Pair of French Neoclassical Style Red Tôle and Gilt Bronze Vases
Located in London, GB
Pair of French Neoclassical style red tôle and gilt bronze vases French, late 19th Century Height 53cm, width 24cm, depth 17cm Each vase in this pair, crafted from gilt bronze mounted red...
Metal, Ormolu
Two Empire Period Gilt Porcelain Vases by Dihl Et Guérhard
Located in London, GB
These beautiful painted and gilt vases were crafted in circa 1810 by the important Parisian porcelain factory, Dihl et Guérhard (French, 1781-circa 18...
Porcelain
French Three Piece Jardinière Garniture of the Empire Period
By Jacques-Louis David
Located in London, GB
A Three Piece Jardinière Garniture of the Empire Period Constructed in tole, being hand painted and decorated in the French Empire Neo-Classical manner of Jacques-Louis David; the...
Tin
Early 19th Century Gilt Bronze Cut-Glass Centerpiece
Located in New York, NY
Cut-glass centerpiece with gilt bronze mounts. Hair line crack in bowl.
Bronze
Pair Of Empire Vases In Polychrome Porcelain
Located in Brussels, BE
Pair Of Empire Vases In Polychrome Porcelain
Porcelain
pair of French 19th century Empire st. Rouge de France marble and Ormolu urns
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A most decorative pair of French 19th century Empire st. Rouge de France marble and Ormolu urns. Each wonderful lidded urn is raised by an Ormolu rimmed circular marble base supporti...
Marble, Ormolu