Empire Furniture
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.
Late 20th Century Unknown Empire Furniture
Bronze, Steel
Early 19th Century Belgian Antique Empire Furniture
Sterling Silver
1860s French Antique Empire Furniture
Wool, Cotton
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Porphyry, Bronze
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Brass
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Gold Leaf, Bronze
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Stone, Bronze
1820s French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
Early 20th Century French Empire Furniture
Crystal, Bronze
Mid-20th Century European Empire Furniture
Brass
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Mahogany
16th Century Belgian Antique Empire Furniture
Wool, Feathers
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
17th Century Antique Empire Furniture
Wool, Feathers
1810s French Antique Empire Furniture
Brass
1930s European Vintage Empire Furniture
Crystal, Brass, Wire
19th Century Italian Antique Empire Furniture
Marble
21st Century and Contemporary European Empire Furniture
Crystal, Brass, Wire
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Cherry
Late 20th Century French Empire Furniture
Porcelain
Early 19th Century Antique Empire Furniture
Granite
1920s American Vintage Empire Furniture
Wool, Cotton
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Metal
16th Century Belgian Antique Empire Furniture
Wool, Feathers
1860s French Antique Empire Furniture
Wool, Cotton
1920s French Vintage Empire Furniture
Marble
20th Century American Empire Furniture
Steel
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Empire Furniture
Walnut
20th Century Italian Empire Furniture
Bronze
1840s Italian Antique Empire Furniture
Wood
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Wood
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
17th Century Unknown Antique Empire Furniture
Wool, Cotton
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Bronze
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Brass
Early 1800s Danish Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Crystal
1970s American Vintage Empire Furniture
Onyx, Travertine, Gold, Gold Plate
20th Century Italian Empire Furniture
Crystal, Metal
20th Century Italian Empire Furniture
Marble, Bronze
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Brass
1850s Austrian Antique Empire Furniture
Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Empire Furniture
Giltwood
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Empire Furniture
Walnut
Mid-19th Century Danish Antique Empire Furniture
Brass
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Bronze
Mid-20th Century Italian Empire Furniture
Bronze
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Mahogany
Early 2000s Unknown Empire Furniture
Wool, Cotton
20th Century French Empire Furniture
Crystal, Bronze
Early 1900s Swedish Antique Empire Furniture
Silver
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Wood
20th Century American Empire Furniture
Bronze
1950s French Vintage Empire Furniture
Metal, Brass
1820s European Antique Empire Furniture
Ormolu
1940s English Vintage Empire Furniture
Upholstery, Wood
21st Century and Contemporary German Empire Furniture
Crystal, Wire