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.
Late 19th Century Swedish Antique Empire Furniture
Mahogany
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Wood
19th Century Swedish Antique Empire Furniture
Wood
Early 1800s French Antique Empire Furniture
Silk, Mahogany
19th Century Italian Antique Empire Furniture
Crystal, Metal
Early 20th Century French Empire Furniture
Walnut
1820s French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
Early 18th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Carrara Marble, Brass
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Porcelain
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze, Ormolu
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Porcelain, Paint
Early 20th Century French Empire Furniture
Bronze
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Bronze
1880s French Antique Empire Furniture
Ormolu, Bronze
Early 19th Century Danish Antique Empire Furniture
Brass
19th Century Antique Empire Furniture
Mahogany
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Mahogany
20th Century French Empire Furniture
Ceramic, Porcelain
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Brass
1960s American Vintage Empire Furniture
Cherry, Satinwood, Burl
Late 18th Century Russian Antique Empire Furniture
Crystal
1810s Austrian Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
20th Century French Empire Furniture
Mahogany, Giltwood, Wood
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Brass
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble
19th Century Italian Antique Empire Furniture
Wood
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze, Ormolu
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Metal
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Empire Furniture
Glass, Wood
2010s Italian Empire Furniture
Gold, Bronze
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Bronze, Enamel, Ormolu
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Bronze
Late 20th Century American Empire Furniture
Brass
17th Century Unknown Antique Empire Furniture
Wool
18th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Wool, Feathers
Early 19th Century Baltic Antique Empire Furniture
Crystal, Ormolu, Tin
19th Century German Antique Empire Furniture
Mahogany
Mid-20th Century Unknown Empire Furniture
Mirror, Oak
Early 20th Century French Empire Furniture
Crystal, Bronze
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Porcelain
20th Century French Empire Furniture
Bronze
Late 18th Century American Antique Empire Furniture
Mahogany, Mirror
1810s Austrian Antique Empire Furniture
Brass, Bronze
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Fabric, Mahogany, Upholstery, Wood, Lacquer
20th Century French Empire Furniture
Bronze
19th Century German Antique Empire Furniture
Porcelain
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze, Steel
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Mahogany
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Silk, Wood, Mahogany
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Empire Furniture
Quartz, Brass
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
1850s Italian Antique Empire Furniture
Wood
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Empire Furniture
Mahogany
19th Century Unknown Antique Empire Furniture
Ormolu
1840s Danish Antique Empire Furniture
Mahogany
Early 1800s Danish Antique Empire Furniture
Sterling Silver
19th Century Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze