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 Italian Empire Furniture
Alabaster, Brass
Late 20th Century Unknown Empire Furniture
Bronze
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Crystal, Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary American Empire Furniture
Giltwood
Early 19th Century German Antique Empire Furniture
Ash
20th Century French Empire Furniture
Bronze, Ormolu
Early 20th Century French Empire Furniture
Wood
1890s French Antique Empire Furniture
Wood, Giltwood
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze, Ormolu
20th Century American Empire Furniture
Glass, Oak
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Paint
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Wool, Upholstery, Walnut
1960s Vintage Empire Furniture
Brass
Late 19th Century European Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze, Ormolu
Early 20th Century Unknown Empire Furniture
Brass
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Gold
Late 20th Century Italian Empire Furniture
Sterling Silver
1960s Italian Vintage Empire Furniture
Carrara Marble, Metal
Early 20th Century Unknown Empire Furniture
Bronze
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Wool, Cotton
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Iron
1810s German Antique Empire Furniture
Walnut
1940s French Vintage Empire Furniture
Marble
1850s French Antique Empire Furniture
Wool, Cotton
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Empire Furniture
Walnut
19th Century European Antique Empire Furniture
Marble
1920s French Vintage Empire Furniture
Bronze
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
1980s Asian Vintage Empire Furniture
Brass, Chrome
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Bronze
Early 20th Century Russian Empire Furniture
Brass
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Mirror, Walnut, Giltwood
Early 20th Century French Empire Furniture
Crystal, Bronze, Ormolu
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
17th Century Unknown Antique Empire Furniture
Wool, Cotton
Mid-19th Century Unknown Antique Empire Furniture
Mahogany
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
Early 20th Century Unknown Empire Furniture
Marble
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Tapestry, Mahogany
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Rock Crystal, Brass
1810s French Antique Empire Furniture
Pewter
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Bronze
Late 20th Century Unknown Empire Furniture
Bronze, Steel
1960s American Vintage Empire Furniture
Brass
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Leather, Mahogany
Mid-19th Century American Antique Empire Furniture
Brass
Early 2000s French Empire Furniture
Wool
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Walnut, Velvet
1980s American Vintage Empire Furniture
Upholstery, Wood
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Brass
Late 20th Century Unknown Empire Furniture
Marble, Brass
1920s American Vintage Empire Furniture
Wool, Cotton
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
17th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Wool, Feathers
17th Century Italian Antique Empire Furniture
Metal
20th Century French Empire Furniture
Ormolu
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Crystal, Bronze
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Walnut