Empire Sofas
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 Antique Empire Sofas
Wood, Burl
Mid-19th Century British Antique Empire Sofas
Velvet, Ebony
19th Century Antique Empire Sofas
Mahogany
19th Century Antique Empire Sofas
Upholstery, Wood
19th Century Unknown Antique Empire Sofas
Leather, Mahogany
19th Century Antique Empire Sofas
Velvet, Wood, Mahogany
Early 1800s French Antique Empire Sofas
Bronze
1860s French Antique Empire Sofas
Fabric, Upholstery, Lacquer, Mahogany
Early 19th Century Dutch Antique Empire Sofas
Cotton, Mahogany
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Sofas
Wood
19th Century French Antique Empire Sofas
Mahogany
1950s American Vintage Empire Sofas
Fabric, Wood
19th Century French Antique Empire Sofas
Wood
1970s Vintage Empire Sofas
Velvet, Wood
Early 20th Century European Empire Sofas
Wood
19th Century French Antique Empire Sofas
Fabric, Upholstery, Mahogany, Wood
1810s French Antique Empire Sofas
Cherry
Mid-19th Century Baltic Antique Empire Sofas
Fabric, Silk, Upholstery, Mahogany
19th Century French Antique Empire Sofas
Bronze
1950s Belgian Vintage Empire Sofas
Wood, Fabric
1810s Dutch Antique Empire Sofas
Satinwood, Upholstery, Mahogany, Tulipwood
Late 19th Century European Antique Empire Sofas
Mahogany, Upholstery
1820s American Antique Empire Sofas
Upholstery, Mahogany
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Sofas
Bronze
19th Century Antique Empire Sofas
Upholstery, Wood
1880s Italian Antique Empire Sofas
Brass
20th Century French Empire Sofas
Beech
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Sofas
Mahogany
20th Century French Empire Sofas
Beech
19th Century French Antique Empire Sofas
Mahogany
20th Century French Empire Sofas
Beech
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Sofas
Ormolu
1810s Czech Antique Empire Sofas
Fabric, Upholstery, Wood, Lacquer
20th Century German Empire Sofas
Birdseye Maple
19th Century French Antique Empire Sofas
Mahogany
Early 19th Century Austrian Antique Empire Sofas
Pearwood, Fabric, Upholstery, Wood
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Sofas
Fabric, Mahogany, Upholstery, Wood, Lacquer
20th Century French Empire Sofas
Beech
20th Century Empire Sofas
Wood, Beech
19th Century American Antique Empire Sofas
Upholstery, Wood
20th Century French Empire Sofas
Beech
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Empire Sofas
Birch, Mahogany
19th Century French Antique Empire Sofas
Mahogany
19th Century French Antique Empire Sofas
Walnut, Giltwood
1920s Vintage Empire Sofas
Upholstery, Mahogany
1880s Czech Antique Empire Sofas
Fabric, Wood
1950s American Vintage Empire Sofas
Mahogany
19th Century Dutch Antique Empire Sofas
Mahogany, Kingwood, Satinwood, Upholstery, Twill, Cotton
19th Century Danish Antique Empire Sofas
Ormolu
19th Century French Antique Empire Sofas
Early 1800s Swedish Antique Empire Sofas
Birch
Mid-19th Century Italian Antique Empire Sofas
Fabric, Walnut
19th Century French Antique Empire Sofas
Mahogany
1860s French Antique Empire Sofas
Walnut
1810s French Antique Empire Sofas
Linen, Walnut, Wood