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.
21st Century and Contemporary European Empire Furniture
Crystal, Brass, Wire
1950s European Vintage Empire Furniture
Crystal, Brass, Wire
21st Century and Contemporary German Empire Furniture
Crystal
2010s German Empire Furniture
Crystal
21st Century and Contemporary German Empire Furniture
Brass, Wire
21st Century and Contemporary German Empire Furniture
Brass, Wire
2010s German Empire Furniture
Crystal
Early 19th Century German Antique Empire Furniture
Birch, Fruitwood
21st Century and Contemporary German Empire Furniture
Crystal, Iron, Wire
21st Century and Contemporary European Empire Furniture
Crystal, Brass, Wire
21st Century and Contemporary German Empire Furniture
Crystal, Wire
2010s German Empire Furniture
Crystal, Brass
1930s Austrian Vintage Empire Furniture
Crystal, Metal, Gold Plate
1810s German Antique Empire Furniture
Cherry
Early 1800s French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble
1930s Italian Vintage Empire Furniture
Crystal, Brass
1930s Italian Vintage Empire Furniture
Crystal, Brass
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Gold Leaf
1940s European Vintage Empire Furniture
Crystal, Brass, Wire
1950s French Vintage Empire Furniture
Metal, Brass
2010s German Empire Furniture
Crystal, Brass
1930s European Vintage Empire Furniture
Crystal, Brass, Wire
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Brass
1970s European Vintage Empire Furniture
Crystal, Brass, Wire
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Granite, Brass
21st Century and Contemporary German Empire Furniture
Crystal, Wire
1810s French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
Early 19th Century German Antique Empire Furniture
Mahogany
1950s Italian Vintage Empire Furniture
Bronze
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Mahogany
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Nutwood
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Metal, Bronze
1820s French Antique Empire Furniture
Mahogany
Early 19th Century Belgian Antique Empire Furniture
Brass, Bronze, Enamel
2010s German Empire Furniture
Crystal
1820s French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary European Empire Furniture
Crystal, Brass, Wire
21st Century and Contemporary German Empire Furniture
Crystal
Early 19th Century Antique Empire Furniture
Granite
2010s German Empire Furniture
Crystal, Iron, Wire
1960s French Vintage Empire Furniture
Brass, Bronze
Early 19th Century German Antique Empire Furniture
Upholstery, Cherry
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Walnut
19th Century Russian Antique Empire Furniture
Stone, Bronze
Early 19th Century Austrian Antique Empire Furniture
Walnut
1930s French Vintage Empire Furniture
Crystal, Brass, Bronze
Late 18th Century German Antique Empire Furniture
Brass
1810s French Antique Empire Furniture
Ormolu
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Brass
1920s French Vintage Empire Furniture
Marble, Bronze
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze, Enamel
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Alabaster, Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary European Empire Furniture
Crystal, Brass, Wire
1810s Austrian Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
1950s French Vintage Empire Furniture
Metal, Brass
1920s French Vintage Empire Furniture
Bronze, Brass
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze