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.
1830s Swedish Antique Empire Furniture
Brass
17th Century Italian Antique Empire Furniture
Metal
1820s French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Walnut
20th Century French Empire Furniture
Porcelain
20th Century French Empire Furniture
Bronze
1940s French Vintage Empire Furniture
Bronze
Early 20th Century French Empire Furniture
Marble, Bronze
19th Century European Antique Empire Furniture
Ormolu
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Metal, Bronze
1920s French Vintage Empire Furniture
Bronze
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Bronze, Enamel
1970s European Vintage Empire Furniture
Crystal, Brass, Wire
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Empire Furniture
Wood
17th Century Italian Antique Empire Furniture
Metal
16th Century Belgian Antique Empire Furniture
Wool, Feathers
1830s French Antique Empire Furniture
Canvas, Wood
Early 1800s French Antique Empire Furniture
Mahogany
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Brass
1980s Vintage Empire Furniture
Mahogany
Early 19th Century American Antique Empire Furniture
Mahogany
Early 2000s Unknown Empire Furniture
Wool, Cotton
1970s American Vintage Empire Furniture
Onyx, Travertine, Gold, Gold Plate
1960s Vintage Empire Furniture
Resin
Late 20th Century Empire Furniture
Malachite, Bronze
1980s Vintage Empire Furniture
Marble
18th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Wool
Early 20th Century French Empire Furniture
Brass, Copper
1960s Italian Vintage Empire Furniture
Gold
Early 20th Century French Empire Furniture
Gold Leaf
1970s Spanish Vintage Empire Furniture
Gold Leaf
Early 19th Century European Antique Empire Furniture
Lacquer, Beech
19th Century Antique Empire Furniture
Marble
Early 1900s Czech Antique Empire Furniture
Crystal
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Wood
Mid-20th Century French Empire Furniture
Walnut
1810s French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
20th Century Empire Furniture
Upholstery, Wood
Early 1800s French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
Early 2000s Unknown Empire Furniture
Wool, Cotton
1790s French Antique Empire Furniture
Paper
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Wood
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Metal, Brass, Bronze
1990s Empire Furniture
Bronze
19th Century American Antique Empire Furniture
Sterling Silver
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Brass
1920s Asian Vintage Empire Furniture
Wool, Cotton
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble
Early 2000s Unknown Empire Furniture
Wool, Cotton
Early 20th Century Unknown Empire Furniture
Metal, Bronze
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble
1930s Vintage Empire Furniture
Crystal, Brass, Bronze
19th Century Italian Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Ormolu
1960s French Vintage Empire Furniture
Resin
1820s French Antique Empire Furniture
Metal, Bronze
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
1920s French Vintage Empire Furniture
Crystal
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Fabric, Cotton, Upholstery, Ebony, Mahogany
1880s French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Bronze
Late 20th Century American Empire Furniture
Cherry
1820s French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
16th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Wool
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Paint
1970s Spanish Vintage Empire Furniture
Wood
Late 19th Century Antique Empire Furniture
Wood, Mahogany
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
19th Century Italian Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Ormolu
1860s French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Wool
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
Early 20th Century French Empire Furniture
Gold Leaf
1980s French Vintage Empire Furniture
Alabaster, Bronze
1810s French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Ormolu