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.
1920s French Vintage Empire Cabinets
Oak, Glass
Early 20th Century French Empire Cabinets
Cherry
Early 1900s French Antique Empire Cabinets
Marble, Bronze, Ormolu
Early 1900s French Antique Empire Cabinets
Marble, Bronze
Early 1900s Antique Empire Cabinets
Wood
19th Century Dutch Antique Empire Cabinets
Brass
2010s Finnish Empire Cabinets
Oak
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Cabinets
Bronze
Early 20th Century French Empire Cabinets
Marble, Bronze
Early 20th Century French Empire Cabinets
Bronze
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Cabinets
Walnut
19th Century French Antique Empire Cabinets
Marble, Bronze
1840s French Antique Empire Cabinets
Wood
Early 20th Century French Empire Cabinets
Bronze
2010s Finnish Empire Cabinets
Oak
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Empire Cabinets
Brass, Steel, Cut Steel, Stainless Steel, Metal, Copper
Early 1900s French Antique Empire Cabinets
Marble, Bronze
Early 1900s French Antique Empire Cabinets
Marble, Bronze
Early 20th Century Empire Cabinets
Glass, Oak
Early 20th Century French Empire Cabinets
Marble
Early 20th Century American Empire Cabinets
Glass, Mahogany
Early 20th Century American Empire Cabinets
Glass, Mahogany, Lacquer
Early 20th Century American Empire Cabinets
Glass, Mahogany
Early 20th Century Empire Cabinets
Maple
Early 20th Century North American Empire Cabinets
Glass, Oak
Early 20th Century French Empire Cabinets
Bronze
Early 1900s European Antique Empire Cabinets
Brass