Empire Chairs
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.
Late 20th Century American Empire Chairs
Leather, Wood
Early 20th Century French Empire Chairs
Cotton, Walnut
1920s Danish Vintage Empire Chairs
Mahogany
Late 20th Century Empire Chairs
Wood
1950s Italian Vintage Empire Chairs
Fabric, Wood
Late 20th Century French Empire Chairs
Leather, Mahogany
Early 20th Century Hungarian Empire Chairs
Pine
Early 20th Century French Empire Chairs
Leather, Wood
Late 20th Century Italian Empire Chairs
Ormolu
Early 20th Century Austrian Empire Chairs
Brass
Early 20th Century French Empire Chairs
Bentwood
Mid-20th Century Belgian Empire Chairs
Fabric, Wood
20th Century Empire Chairs
Wood
Early 20th Century French Empire Chairs
Wood, Fabric
Early 20th Century French Empire Chairs
Upholstery, Elm
20th Century French Empire Chairs
Metal, Ormolu
Early 20th Century French Empire Chairs
Cherry
Mid-20th Century Italian Empire Chairs
Fruitwood
19th Century French Antique Empire Chairs
Velvet, Walnut
2010s Italian Empire Chairs
Walnut
2010s Italian Empire Chairs
Walnut
19th Century French Antique Empire Chairs
Wood, Damask
2010s Italian Empire Chairs
Walnut
1920s French Vintage Empire Chairs
Leather, Faux Leather, Beech
1970s Unknown Vintage Empire Chairs
Wood, Cane
2010s Italian Empire Chairs
Walnut
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Chairs
Silk, Mahogany
1980s Vintage Empire Chairs
Wood, Cotton
1810s Baltic Antique Empire Chairs
Fabric, Birch
2010s Italian Empire Chairs
Leather, Cotton, Nutwood, Walnut
Late 20th Century Philippine Empire Chairs
Reed, Ebony
1950s Italian Vintage Empire Chairs
Straw, Walnut
Mid-20th Century Italian Empire Chairs
Straw, Walnut
Mid-20th Century English Empire Chairs
Leather, Mahogany
1910s French Vintage Empire Chairs
Brass
1950s American Vintage Empire Chairs
Wood
Mid-20th Century American Empire Chairs
Fabric, Mahogany
20th Century European Empire Chairs
Mahogany
Late 20th Century American Empire Chairs
Fruitwood, Fabric
1980s Italian Vintage Empire Chairs
Lacquer, Upholstery, Velvet, Foam, Wood, Mahogany, Giltwood
1910s Swedish Vintage Empire Chairs
Birch
Early 20th Century Unknown Empire Chairs
Wood