Empire Floor Lamps
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 Italian Empire Floor Lamps
Onyx, Brass
Late 19th Century English Antique Empire Floor Lamps
Brass
1980s Vintage Empire Floor Lamps
Paint
Early 1800s Italian Antique Empire Floor Lamps
Bronze
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Floor Lamps
Bronze, Ormolu
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Empire Floor Lamps
Wood
Late 20th Century European Empire Floor Lamps
Bronze, Steel
1820s French Antique Empire Floor Lamps
Bronze
1890s American Antique Empire Floor Lamps
Marble, Bronze
19th Century Swedish Antique Empire Floor Lamps
Iron
20th Century French Empire Floor Lamps
Metal, Aluminum, Brass, Bronze
Early 20th Century American Empire Floor Lamps
Steel, Bronze
1980s American Vintage Empire Floor Lamps
Crystal, Metal
Late 19th Century Antique Empire Floor Lamps
Marble, Bronze
Late 20th Century Italian Empire Floor Lamps
Silver
20th Century French Empire Floor Lamps
Metal, Bronze
Late 19th Century American Antique Empire Floor Lamps
Bronze
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Floor Lamps
Marble
20th Century French Empire Floor Lamps
Early 2000s American Empire Floor Lamps
Metal
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Floor Lamps
Bronze
Early 20th Century Spanish Empire Floor Lamps
Wrought Iron
21st Century and Contemporary British Empire Floor Lamps
Satin, Velvet
21st Century and Contemporary British Empire Floor Lamps
Satin, Velvet
21st Century and Contemporary British Empire Floor Lamps
Satin, Velvet
1960s French Vintage Empire Floor Lamps
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary British Empire Floor Lamps
Satin, Velvet
Mid-18th Century Sicilian Antique Empire Floor Lamps
Fruitwood
20th Century French Empire Floor Lamps
Bronze
Early 20th Century British Empire Floor Lamps
Fabric, Wood
21st Century and Contemporary British Empire Floor Lamps
Satin, Velvet
Mid-20th Century Empire Floor Lamps
Hardwood
20th Century Italian Empire Floor Lamps
Metal
1950s French Vintage Empire Floor Lamps
Brass, Iron
Mid-20th Century Italian Empire Floor Lamps
Metal, Bronze
19th Century French Antique Empire Floor Lamps
Bronze
Late 19th Century English Antique Empire Floor Lamps
Brass
20th Century French Empire Floor Lamps
Ormolu
Early 2000s French Empire Floor Lamps
Metal
Late 19th Century English Antique Empire Floor Lamps
Brass
1920s French Vintage Empire Floor Lamps
Marble, Bronze
Mid-20th Century Italian Empire Floor Lamps
Brass
1920s French Vintage Empire Floor Lamps
Bronze