Empire Dining Room 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.
1950s Italian Vintage Empire Dining Room Chairs
Fabric, Wood
Mid-20th Century American Empire Dining Room Chairs
Fabric, Cherry
Mid-20th Century Empire Dining Room Chairs
Upholstery, Hardwood, Paint
Mid-20th Century American Empire Dining Room Chairs
Cherry, Fabric
Mid-20th Century American Empire Dining Room Chairs
Fabric, Cherry
1940s American Vintage Empire Dining Room Chairs
Mahogany
2010s Philippine Empire Dining Room Chairs
Mahogany
19th Century French Antique Empire Dining Room Chairs
Velvet, Walnut
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Dining Room Chairs
Mahogany
19th Century French Antique Empire Dining Room Chairs
Wood, Damask
Late 20th Century North American Empire Dining Room Chairs
Cane, Mahogany
Mid-20th Century French Empire Dining Room Chairs
Mahogany
19th Century French Antique Empire Dining Room Chairs
Wood
19th Century British Antique Empire Dining Room Chairs
Mahogany
19th Century British Antique Empire Dining Room Chairs
Mahogany
Late 20th Century American Empire Dining Room Chairs
Upholstery, Walnut
1810s Baltic Antique Empire Dining Room Chairs
Fabric, Birch
1970s American Vintage Empire Dining Room Chairs
Upholstery, Walnut
Mid-20th Century French Empire Dining Room Chairs
Fabric, Upholstery, Oak, Walnut
1950s Italian Vintage Empire Dining Room Chairs
Straw, Walnut
1930s French Vintage Empire Dining Room Chairs
Burlap, Mahogany
Mid-20th Century American Empire Dining Room Chairs
Fabric, Mahogany
1950s American Vintage Empire Dining Room Chairs
Upholstery, Walnut
Mid-20th Century American Empire Dining Room Chairs
Fabric, Mahogany
Mid-20th Century American Empire Dining Room Chairs
Fabric, Cherry
1950s Vintage Empire Dining Room Chairs
Leather, Fruitwood
1950s French Vintage Empire Dining Room Chairs
Cherry, Upholstery
1950s European Vintage Empire Dining Room Chairs
Fabric, Linen, Mahogany, Wood
1940s European Vintage Empire Dining Room Chairs
1940s French Vintage Empire Dining Room Chairs
Mahogany