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.
1950s American Vintage Empire Cabinets
Wood
Mid-20th Century English Empire Cabinets
Leather, Mahogany
1950s Unknown Vintage Empire Cabinets
Marble
1930s French Vintage Empire Cabinets
Marble, Brass
21st Century and Contemporary American Empire Cabinets
Brass
Mid-20th Century French Empire Cabinets
Oak, Ceramic
Late 19th Century Hungarian Antique Empire Cabinets
Glass, Wood, Paint
20th Century French Empire Cabinets
Metal
19th Century French Antique Empire Cabinets
Oak, Blown Glass
1870s French Antique Empire Cabinets
Brass, Steel
19th Century European Antique Empire Cabinets
Marble
2010s American Empire Cabinets
Walnut
Early 1900s French Antique Empire Cabinets
Marble, Ormolu
Early 20th Century American Empire Cabinets
Metal
19th Century French Antique Empire Cabinets
Carrara Marble
1950s Belgian Vintage Empire Cabinets
Brass
1960s American Vintage Empire Cabinets
Brass
Mid-20th Century French Empire Cabinets
Mahogany
Mid-20th Century American Empire Cabinets
Brass
Mid-20th Century English Empire Cabinets
Oak
Mid-20th Century French Empire Cabinets
Ormolu
Mid-20th Century North American Empire Cabinets
Brass
Mid-20th Century American Empire Cabinets
Wood
Mid-20th Century Danish Empire Cabinets
Brass
1940s French Vintage Empire Cabinets
Marble, Bronze
Mid-20th Century Empire Cabinets
Walnut