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
Brass
Early 20th Century Dutch Empire Furniture
Brass, Copper
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
1850s Brazilian Antique Empire Furniture
Wood
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Granite, Brass
1960s Italian Vintage Empire Furniture
Gold Plate, Sterling Silver, Enamel
Mid-20th Century French Empire Furniture
Brass, Iron
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Mahogany
1940s French Vintage Empire Furniture
Gesso, Mirror
Mid-20th Century French Empire Furniture
Brass
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Mahogany
Late 19th Century Unknown Antique Empire Furniture
Opaline Glass
19th Century Swedish Antique Empire Furniture
Wood
17th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Fabric, Wool
17th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Fabric, Wool
17th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Fabric, Wool
17th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Fabric, Wool
Late 19th Century Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Wood
Early 2000s Spanish Empire Furniture
Stone, Alabaster, Metal, Bronze
1820s French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
1920s European Vintage Empire Furniture
Crystal, Bronze
1930s European Vintage Empire Furniture
Bronze
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Leather, Walnut, Giltwood
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
Early 19th Century Belgian Antique Empire Furniture
Bentwood
19th Century Swedish Antique Empire Furniture
Upholstery, Giltwood, Wood
Late 20th Century French Empire Furniture
Crystal, Brass
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Brass
1860s Swedish Antique Empire Furniture
Marble
21st Century and Contemporary French Empire Furniture
Cotton
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Bronze
20th Century Empire Furniture
Mahogany
1880s French Antique Empire Furniture
Belgian Black Marble, Bronze
1960s American Vintage Empire Furniture
Fabric, Wood
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Mahogany
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
Early 20th Century French Empire Furniture
Bronze
Mid-18th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Straw, Blown Glass
Early 1800s French Antique Empire Furniture
Ormolu, Bronze
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Malachite, Ormolu, Bronze
Mid-20th Century Unknown Empire Furniture
Brass
1880s Antique Empire Furniture
Wood
19th Century Antique Empire Furniture
Carrara Marble, Bronze
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
Early 20th Century French Empire Furniture
Marble, Metal
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Empire Furniture
Walnut, Giltwood
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Empire Furniture
Quartz, Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Empire Furniture
Mahogany
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
1940s French Vintage Empire Furniture
Ormolu
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Silk, Mahogany
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Ormolu
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Ormolu
19th Century Dutch Antique Empire Furniture
Nutwood
1820s Austrian Antique Empire Furniture
Alabaster, Bronze
1850s French Antique Empire Furniture
Metal, Bronze
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Onyx, Bronze
Early 19th Century Russian Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze