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.
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Ormolu
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Bronze, Ormolu
Mid-19th Century Unknown Antique Empire Furniture
Mahogany
20th Century American Empire Furniture
Mahogany
1850s French Antique Empire Furniture
Crystal
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Brass
19th Century Danish Antique Empire Furniture
Faux Leather, Beech, Oak
1980s American Vintage Empire Furniture
Brass
1960s Italian Vintage Empire Furniture
Glass, Wood
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Bronze
1860s French Antique Empire Furniture
Walnut
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Empire Furniture
Glass, Giltwood
1850s Austrian Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
Early 19th Century Russian Antique Empire Furniture
Crystal, Bronze
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Ormolu
1810s Austrian Antique Empire Furniture
Sheet Metal
1890s French Antique Empire Furniture
Brass, Bronze
1960s Spanish Vintage Empire Furniture
Crystal, Brass
20th Century French Empire Furniture
Bronze
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Brass, Tin
19th Century Italian Antique Empire Furniture
Marble
2010s German Empire Furniture
Crystal
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
Mid-19th Century Baltic Antique Empire Furniture
Fabric, Silk, Upholstery, Mahogany
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Empire Furniture
Marble
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
Mid-20th Century French Empire Furniture
Marble, Brass
1850s Portuguese Antique Empire Furniture
Wool, Cotton
1820s European Antique Empire Furniture
Ormolu
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Glass
19th Century Italian Antique Empire Furniture
Crystal, Metal
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Metal, Bronze
Mid-20th Century Italian Empire Furniture
Ormolu
1810s French Antique Empire Furniture
Ormolu, Bronze
Early 19th Century American Antique Empire Furniture
Birdseye Maple, Mahogany
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Griotte Marble, Bronze
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Porcelain
1930s French Vintage Empire Furniture
Brass
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Bronze
19th Century Antique Empire Furniture
Marble
1970s French Vintage Empire Furniture
Metal
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Brass, Bronze, Ormolu
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Brass
1880s French Antique Empire Furniture
Fabric, Beech
Late 19th Century Scandinavian Antique Empire Furniture
Mahogany, Mirror
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Empire Furniture
Canvas, Wood, Giltwood, Paint
1970s Italian Vintage Empire Furniture
Gold, Gold Plate, Sterling Silver, Enamel
Early 19th Century Danish Antique Empire Furniture
Ebony, Mahogany
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
Mid-20th Century Unknown Empire Furniture
Metal, Brass
Early 2000s Unknown Empire Furniture
Wool, Cotton
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Mercury Glass, Gesso, Wood
1810s German Antique Empire Furniture
Walnut
Late 19th Century Unknown Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
1850s Antique Empire Furniture
Wool, Feathers
1960s American Vintage Empire Furniture
Copper
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Bronze