Empire Armchairs
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.
1860s Swedish Antique Empire Armchairs
Walnut
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Armchairs
Cherry, Walnut
Mid-19th Century Danish Antique Empire Armchairs
Mahogany
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Armchairs
Cherry
2010s Italian Empire Armchairs
Gold Leaf
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Armchairs
Mahogany
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Armchairs
Mahogany
2010s Italian Empire Armchairs
Gold Leaf
19th Century French Antique Empire Armchairs
Wood, Maple
19th Century French Antique Empire Armchairs
Brass
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Armchairs
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Armchairs
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Armchairs
Mahogany
1810s French Antique Empire Armchairs
19th Century French Antique Empire Armchairs
19th Century Danish Antique Empire Armchairs
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Empire Armchairs
Wood
2010s Brazilian Empire Armchairs
Leather, Upholstery, Walnut
18th Century and Earlier Italian Antique Empire Armchairs
Silver
2010s Brazilian Empire Armchairs
Teak, Leather, Upholstery
19th Century French Antique Empire Armchairs
Wood
2010s Brazilian Empire Armchairs
Leather, Teak, Upholstery
1880s French Antique Empire Armchairs
Mahogany
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Armchairs
Fruitwood
1960s European Vintage Empire Armchairs
Bentwood
19th Century Swedish Antique Empire Armchairs
Upholstery, Wood
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Armchairs
Wood
19th Century French Antique Empire Armchairs
Upholstery, Wood, Walnut
Early 19th Century English Antique Empire Armchairs
Mahogany
Early 20th Century French Empire Armchairs
Wood
20th Century European Empire Armchairs
Mahogany
Mid-19th Century Russian Antique Empire Armchairs
Mahogany
21st Century and Contemporary European Empire Armchairs
Wood
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Armchairs
Fabric, Mahogany
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Armchairs
Fabric, Mahogany
Early 19th Century German Antique Empire Armchairs
Mahogany
1920s French Vintage Empire Armchairs
Brass, Ormolu
19th Century French Antique Empire Armchairs
Fabric, Walnut
1810s European Antique Empire Armchairs
Mahogany, Calico
21st Century and Contemporary French Empire Armchairs
Paint, Wood