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.
1810s French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze, Ormolu
1810s Antique Empire Furniture
Glass
1880s French Antique Empire Furniture
Carrara Marble, Brass
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Ormolu
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Mahogany
18th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Wool
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Bronze, Ormolu
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Mohair, Mahogany
1940s Italian Vintage Empire Furniture
Crystal, Brass, Wire
Early 2000s Unknown Empire Furniture
Wool, Cotton
1920s French Vintage Empire Furniture
Marble, Bronze
20th Century French Empire Furniture
Bentwood
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Ormolu, Enamel
17th Century Belgian Antique Empire Furniture
Wool, Feathers
1840s Italian Antique Empire Furniture
Wood
Late 20th Century Unknown Empire Furniture
Wool, Cotton
Early 19th Century German Antique Empire Furniture
Wood
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Ormolu
2010s German Empire Furniture
Crystal
1830s French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
Early 1800s Italian Antique Empire Furniture
Walnut
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
19th Century Russian Antique Empire Furniture
Giltwood
Early 2000s Unknown Empire Furniture
Wool, Cotton
Early 19th Century Antique Empire Furniture
Porcelain
1830s French Antique Empire Furniture
Porcelain
17th Century Belgian Antique Empire Furniture
Metal
1950s Czech Vintage Empire Furniture
Crystal, Brass
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Empire Furniture
Giltwood
Early 20th Century French Empire Furniture
Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Empire Furniture
Scagliola, Wood
Early 20th Century Persian Empire Furniture
Wool
1810s French Antique Empire Furniture
Upholstery, Walnut
19th Century Italian Antique Empire Furniture
Crystal, Bronze
17th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Wool, Feathers
Early 19th Century Danish Antique Empire Furniture
Bone, Leather, Mahogany, Maple, Satinwood
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Empire Furniture
Birch
Late 18th Century American Antique Empire Furniture
Mahogany, Mirror
Late 20th Century Empire Furniture
Marble, Brass
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
Early 19th Century English Antique Empire Furniture
Pewter
20th Century Spanish Empire Furniture
Bronze
18th Century and Earlier European Antique Empire Furniture
Porcelain
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Leather, Mahogany
19th Century Swedish Antique Empire Furniture
Gold Leaf
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Bronze
19th Century European Antique Empire Furniture
Glass, Wood
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
1940s American Vintage Empire Furniture
Brass
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
Early 19th Century Russian Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze, Gold Leaf
Late 20th Century Unknown Empire Furniture
Bronze
Early 19th Century British Antique Empire Furniture
Wool, Feathers
1960s French Vintage Empire Furniture
Brass, Bronze
Early 19th Century Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Empire Furniture
Glass, Giltwood
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Brass
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Brass