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.
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Armchairs
Mahogany
19th Century French Antique Empire Armchairs
Upholstery, Walnut
1850s French Antique Empire Armchairs
Velvet, Wood
19th Century European Antique Empire Armchairs
Wood, Paint
1870s Scandinavian Antique Empire Armchairs
Mahogany
19th Century Danish Antique Empire Armchairs
Wood
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Armchairs
Bronze
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Armchairs
Silk, Mahogany
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Armchairs
Wood
Mid-20th Century American Empire Armchairs
Fabric, Cherry
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Armchairs
Gold Leaf
Early 20th Century Empire Armchairs
Fabric, Mahogany
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Armchairs
Beech
Early 1800s French Antique Empire Armchairs
Silk, Mahogany
1820s Danish Antique Empire Armchairs
Mahogany
Mid-20th Century French Empire Armchairs
Wood
19th Century French Antique Empire Armchairs
Wood, Fabric, Mahogany
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Armchairs
Mahogany
1890s French Antique Empire Armchairs
Mahogany, Fabric
1820s French Antique Empire Armchairs
Sheepskin, Mahogany
1840s Danish Antique Empire Armchairs
Fabric, Mahogany
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Armchairs
Mahogany
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Armchairs
Mahogany
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Armchairs
Mahogany
1840s Danish Antique Empire Armchairs
Fabric, Birch
Late 20th Century Empire Armchairs
Ultrasuede, Wicker, Mahogany
19th Century French Antique Empire Armchairs
Bronze
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Armchairs
Ormolu
19th Century French Antique Empire Armchairs
Ormolu
20th Century Empire Armchairs
Fabric, Wood, Beech
Early 19th Century English Antique Empire Armchairs
Mahogany
19th Century French Antique Empire Armchairs
Ormolu
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Armchairs
Mahogany
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Armchairs
Mahogany
19th Century Antique Empire Armchairs
Bronze
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Armchairs
Mahogany
2010s Italian Empire Armchairs
Gold Leaf
2010s Italian Empire Armchairs
Gold Leaf
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Armchairs
Wood
1830s European Antique Empire Armchairs
Mahogany
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Armchairs
Upholstery, Mahogany
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Armchairs
Mahogany
20th Century French Empire Armchairs
Beech
Early 20th Century French Empire Armchairs
Bentwood
Early 20th Century French Empire Armchairs
Iron
1810s Russian Antique Empire Armchairs
Mahogany
19th Century French Antique Empire Armchairs
Bronze
19th Century Antique Empire Armchairs
Mahogany
19th Century French Antique Empire Armchairs
Ormolu
19th Century Russian Antique Empire Armchairs
Mahogany
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Armchairs
Silk, Mahogany
1940s American Vintage Empire Armchairs
Wood
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Armchairs
Bronze
19th Century Russian Antique Empire Armchairs
Giltwood
19th Century French Antique Empire Armchairs
Wood, Maple
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Armchairs
Mahogany
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Armchairs
Mahogany
19th Century French Antique Empire Armchairs
Ormolu