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.
1820s French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
1890s Antique Empire Furniture
Marble
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Ormolu
19th Century Italian Antique Empire Furniture
Ormolu
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Mahogany
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Wood, Mirror
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Ormolu
20th Century Swedish Empire Furniture
Crystal, Brass
19th Century Swedish Antique Empire Furniture
Mahogany, Giltwood
Early 18th Century European Antique Empire Furniture
Crystal, Brass, Wire
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
1930s French Vintage Empire Furniture
Alabaster
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
20th Century French Empire Furniture
Composition
19th Century European Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
Mid-19th Century German Antique Empire Furniture
Mahogany
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Ormolu
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Early 18th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
1910s French Vintage Empire Furniture
Crystal, Bronze
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Ormolu
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze, Gold
20th Century Italian Empire Furniture
Marble, Gold Plate, Bronze
1930s Vintage Empire Furniture
Crystal, Brass, Bronze
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Brass
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
1940s French Vintage Empire Furniture
Upholstery, Walnut
20th Century French Empire Furniture
Bronze
Early 19th Century Russian Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
1970s Italian Vintage Empire Furniture
Brass
1820s French Antique Empire Furniture
Textile
1960s Italian Vintage Empire Furniture
Brass
1950s French Vintage Empire Furniture
Brass, Bronze
1970s Italian Vintage Empire Furniture
Brass
1930s American Vintage Empire Furniture
Leather, Mahogany
Late 20th Century Empire Furniture
Brass
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Ormolu
17th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Wool, Feathers
Early 18th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Brass
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Mirror, Giltwood
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Siena Marble, Bronze
Early 20th Century French Empire Furniture
Bronze
1930s French Vintage Empire Furniture
Fruitwood
1880s Italian Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
1880s French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Bronze
Early 1900s French Antique Empire Furniture
Crystal, Bronze
1810s French Antique Empire Furniture
Mahogany
Early 1800s French Antique Empire Furniture
Mahogany
1920s French Vintage Empire Furniture
Bronze
1820s French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
Early 1900s French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
Mid-20th Century French Empire Furniture
Crystal, Bronze
1880s French Antique Empire Furniture
Mahogany
1880s French Antique Empire Furniture
Mahogany
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Brass
1810s French Antique Empire Furniture
Porcelain