Empire Cabinets
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 Cabinets
Metal
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Cabinets
Brass
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Cabinets
Marble, Bronze
19th Century Danish Antique Empire Cabinets
Metal
1890s French Antique Empire Cabinets
Ormolu
1930s French Vintage Empire Cabinets
Brass
1870s French Antique Empire Cabinets
Ormolu
1870s French Antique Empire Cabinets
Ormolu
1930s French Vintage Empire Cabinets
Marble, Brass
1880s French Antique Empire Cabinets
Marble, Ormolu
19th Century French Antique Empire Cabinets
Marble, Bronze, Brass
19th Century French Antique Empire Cabinets
Bronze
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Cabinets
Brass
1930s French Vintage Empire Cabinets
Marble, Ormolu
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Empire Cabinets
Birdseye Maple
1830s English Antique Empire Cabinets
Rosewood
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Cabinets
Metal, Brass
Late 18th Century Dutch Antique Empire Cabinets
Brass
1820s French Antique Empire Cabinets
Wood
20th Century French Empire Cabinets
Lapis Lazuli, Metal
Mid-19th Century European Antique Empire Cabinets
Pine, Mahogany
21st Century and Contemporary American Empire Cabinets
Brass
1830s Danish Antique Empire Cabinets
21st Century and Contemporary Empire Cabinets
Marble
Mid-20th Century French Empire Cabinets
Early 1900s French Antique Empire Cabinets
Bronze
Mid-20th Century English Empire Cabinets
Brass
Early 20th Century French Empire Cabinets
Glass, Mirror, Wood