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.
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Canvas, Giltwood
20th Century American Empire Furniture
Brass
19th Century Italian Antique Empire Furniture
Crystal, Iron
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Ormolu
1850s French Antique Empire Furniture
Wool, Cotton
19th Century Italian Antique Empire Furniture
Wood
1810s Italian Antique Empire Furniture
Marble
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Porcelain
1810s French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
20th Century French Empire Furniture
Malachite, Ormolu
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Stone, Bronze
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Bronze, Enamel
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Wool
20th Century Italian Empire Furniture
Bronze
1930s Swedish Vintage Empire Furniture
Beech
Early 19th Century German Antique Empire Furniture
Birch, Fruitwood
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Mahogany
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
20th Century Empire Furniture
Crystal, Brass
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Malachite, Ormolu
2010s German Empire Furniture
Crystal, Wire, Iron
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Ormolu
1820s Dutch Antique Empire Furniture
Burl
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Brass
1980s Italian Vintage Empire Furniture
Gold, Gold Plate, Sterling Silver, Enamel
Early 20th Century Hungarian Empire Furniture
Pine
1810s Antique Empire Furniture
Glass
Early 1800s Albanian Antique Empire Furniture
Wool, Feathers
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Brass
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Mahogany
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Empire Furniture
Scagliola, Wood
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble
Mid-20th Century Italian Empire Furniture
Marble
1790s German Antique Empire Furniture
Gesso, Pine
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Porcelain
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Wool
1890s Austrian Antique Empire Furniture
Silver
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Fruitwood
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
1930s French Vintage Empire Furniture
Bronze
Early 19th Century Danish Antique Empire Furniture
Bone, Hardwood, Birch, Mahogany, Maple
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Fabric, Mahogany
1940s Vintage Empire Furniture
Marble, Bronze
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Ormolu
Early 20th Century Empire Furniture
Leather, Wood
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Brass
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
Mid-20th Century Unknown Empire Furniture
Glass
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Walnut
1810s French Antique Empire Furniture
Mahogany
1820s French Antique Empire Furniture
Wool
1810s Austrian Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
1990s French Empire Furniture
Metal
Early 20th Century French Empire Furniture
Wood, Mahogany
2010s American Empire Furniture
Beech