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.
Early 20th Century American Empire Furniture
Silver Plate, Bronze
19th Century European Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
1820s Swedish Antique Empire Furniture
Brass
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
1980s Vintage Empire Furniture
Kingwood
2010s Italian Empire Furniture
Gold, Bronze
20th Century French Empire Furniture
Ceramic
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Metal, Ormolu
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Mahogany
Early 19th Century Danish Antique Empire Furniture
Metal, Bronze
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Empire Furniture
Birch
19th Century Italian Antique Empire Furniture
Marble
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Slate, Bronze
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Bronze
Early 1800s French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
1810s French Antique Empire Furniture
Wood
1890s Scandinavian Antique Empire Furniture
Walnut
Late 20th Century Unknown Empire Furniture
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Empire Furniture
Travertine
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
20th Century French Empire Furniture
Paper
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Empire Furniture
Bronze
1960s French Vintage Empire Furniture
Bronze
Early 20th Century French Empire Furniture
Wood, Mahogany
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble
Early 20th Century Empire Furniture
Brass, Iron
20th Century French Empire Furniture
Ormolu, Metal
20th Century French Empire Furniture
Beech
Early 20th Century English Empire Furniture
Limestone, Steel, Iron
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble
1810s French Antique Empire Furniture
Ormolu, Bronze, Enamel
19th Century European Antique Empire Furniture
Malachite, Bronze
Early 19th Century American Antique Empire Furniture
Birdseye Maple, Mahogany
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Ormolu
Early 20th Century Polish Empire Furniture
Fabric, Walnut
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Metal, Ormolu
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze, Ormolu
1810s French Antique Empire Furniture
19th Century German Antique Empire Furniture
Iron
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Ormolu, Bronze
1980s Philippine Vintage Empire Furniture
Marble, Bronze, Wrought Iron
20th Century French Empire Furniture
Metal
19th Century Italian Antique Empire Furniture
Wood, Mahogany, Giltwood
19th Century Russian Antique Empire Furniture
Ormolu
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Bronze
1870s Antique Empire Furniture
Wood
1960s Italian Vintage Empire Furniture
Gold, Gold Plate, Sterling Silver, Enamel
21st Century and Contemporary American Empire Furniture
Hardwood, Upholstery, Paint
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
1950s American Vintage Empire Furniture
Wood
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
1880s Antique Empire Furniture
Mahogany
20th Century Empire Furniture
Bronze
Early 2000s Unknown Empire Furniture
Wool, Cotton
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Metal, Brass
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Bronze
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze, Ormolu
Early 20th Century Persian Empire Furniture
Wool