Empire Wardrobes and Armoires
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.
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Wardrobes and Armoires
Fruitwood
19th Century French Antique Empire Wardrobes and Armoires
Brass
Early 19th Century Dutch Antique Empire Wardrobes and Armoires
Brass
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Wardrobes and Armoires
Bronze
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Wardrobes and Armoires
Mirror, Mahogany, Giltwood
Late 19th Century Italian Antique Empire Wardrobes and Armoires
Brass
19th Century French Antique Empire Wardrobes and Armoires
Ormolu
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Wardrobes and Armoires
Bronze
1790s German Antique Empire Wardrobes and Armoires
Gesso, Pine
1810s Austrian Antique Empire Wardrobes and Armoires
Walnut
Early 19th Century Austrian Antique Empire Wardrobes and Armoires
Brass
Late 18th Century Austrian Antique Empire Wardrobes and Armoires
Brass, Other
Early 19th Century German Antique Empire Wardrobes and Armoires
Pine
Early 19th Century German Antique Empire Wardrobes and Armoires
Glass, Mahogany
Early 1900s French Antique Empire Wardrobes and Armoires
Faux Bamboo, Pine
Early 20th Century French Empire Wardrobes and Armoires
Brass
1790s English Antique Empire Wardrobes and Armoires
Brass
19th Century French Antique Empire Wardrobes and Armoires
Pine, Paint
1810s French Antique Empire Wardrobes and Armoires
Mahogany
19th Century European Antique Empire Wardrobes and Armoires
Pine
19th Century French Antique Empire Wardrobes and Armoires
Brass
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Wardrobes and Armoires
Metal, Brass
17th Century French Antique Empire Wardrobes and Armoires
Walnut
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Wardrobes and Armoires
Fruitwood
Mid-19th Century Antique Empire Wardrobes and Armoires
Glass, Oak
19th Century French Antique Empire Wardrobes and Armoires
Metal, Brass
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Empire Wardrobes and Armoires
Poplar, Walnut
19th Century French Antique Empire Wardrobes and Armoires
Metal, Brass
19th Century French Antique Empire Wardrobes and Armoires
Metal, Brass, Ormolu
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Wardrobes and Armoires
Walnut
19th Century French Antique Empire Wardrobes and Armoires
Mirror, Wood
19th Century French Antique Empire Wardrobes and Armoires
Mahogany
Late 19th Century Dutch Antique Empire Wardrobes and Armoires
Pine
19th Century French Antique Empire Wardrobes and Armoires
Walnut
Early 1800s French Antique Empire Wardrobes and Armoires
Walnut
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Wardrobes and Armoires
Mahogany
Early 20th Century Dutch Empire Wardrobes and Armoires
Pine
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Wardrobes and Armoires
Oak