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.
1940s French Vintage Empire Armchairs
Upholstery, Walnut
Mid-20th Century Empire Armchairs
Leather, Wood, Giltwood
1950s Belgian Vintage Empire Armchairs
Fabric, Wood
Mid-20th Century American Empire Armchairs
Fabric, Cherry
Mid-20th Century French Empire Armchairs
Wood
1940s American Vintage Empire Armchairs
Wood
1950s American Vintage Empire Armchairs
Upholstery, Wood
Mid-20th Century Empire Armchairs
Wood
2010s British Empire Armchairs
Sheepskin, Beech
Late 20th Century North American Empire Armchairs
Cane, Mahogany
Early 1900s English Antique Empire Armchairs
Leather
20th Century French Empire Armchairs
Linen, Upholstery, Mahogany
1880s French Antique Empire Armchairs
Mahogany
19th Century Russian Antique Empire Armchairs
Mahogany
Early 20th Century French Empire Armchairs
Fabric, Oak
1940s French Vintage Empire Armchairs
Leather, Oak
1970s Polish Vintage Empire Armchairs
Naugahyde, Beech
19th Century French Antique Empire Armchairs
Upholstery, Wood, Walnut
20th Century English Empire Armchairs
Wood, Oak, Pine
19th Century French Antique Empire Armchairs
Fabric
1930s Italian Vintage Empire Armchairs
Walnut
1950s North American Vintage Empire Armchairs
Upholstery, Mahogany
1940s Dutch Vintage Empire Armchairs
Velvet, Wood
1950s English Vintage Empire Armchairs
Malachite, Brass, Steel
Mid-20th Century French Empire Armchairs
Silk, Wood
Mid-20th Century Empire Armchairs
Wood, Upholstery
1950s French Vintage Empire Armchairs
Upholstery, Oak
Mid-20th Century French Empire Armchairs
Mahogany
1940s American Vintage Empire Armchairs
Fabric
Mid-20th Century English Empire Armchairs
Wood