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
Upholstery, Wood, Paint
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze, Ormolu
1820s French Antique Empire Furniture
Porcelain
1810s Austrian Antique Empire Furniture
Gold Plate, Brass
Early 2000s Unknown Empire Furniture
Wool, Cotton
Late 19th Century European Antique Empire Furniture
Onyx, Bronze
Late 20th Century Unknown Empire Furniture
Glass, Mirror, Cherry
Mid-19th Century Antique Empire Furniture
Iron
Early 20th Century French Empire Furniture
Paper
1880s Swedish Antique Empire Furniture
Fabric, Giltwood
19th Century European Antique Empire Furniture
Paper
1820s French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble
Early 1900s Czech Antique Empire Furniture
Crystal
20th Century French Empire Furniture
Paper
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Mirror, Giltwood
20th Century French Empire Furniture
Wood, Paper
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Brass
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
1810s Czech Antique Empire Furniture
Fabric, Upholstery, Pearwood, Lacquer
Mid-19th Century North American Antique Empire Furniture
Mahogany
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
20th Century French Empire Furniture
Brass
Late 19th Century Unknown Antique Empire Furniture
Marble
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Ormolu
1970s French Vintage Empire Furniture
Porcelain
1810s French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze, Ormolu
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Ormolu
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
20th Century French Empire Furniture
Paper
1810s Italian Antique Empire Furniture
Metal
1940s Italian Vintage Empire Furniture
Crystal
21st Century and Contemporary German Empire Furniture
Crystal, Wire
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Ormolu
20th Century Empire Furniture
Bronze
Late 19th Century Swedish Antique Empire Furniture
Walnut
19th Century Swedish Antique Empire Furniture
Crystal, Bronze
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Mahogany
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze, Enamel
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Griotte Marble, Bronze
Early 19th Century Russian Antique Empire Furniture
Crystal, Malachite, Bronze
Late 20th Century American Empire Furniture
Mahogany, Satinwood
Early 20th Century French Empire Furniture
Ormolu, Bronze
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Paper
Early 20th Century French Empire Furniture
Bronze, Ormolu
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
1810s Italian Antique Empire Furniture
Walnut
1860s Antique Empire Furniture
Mahogany
1960s Italian Vintage Empire Furniture
Gold Plate, Sterling Silver, Enamel
2010s Italian Empire Furniture
Bronze
1890s French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
1820s French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Empire Furniture
Birch
Early 1900s French Antique Empire Furniture
Paint, Paper
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Fabric, Wood
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze, Ormolu
20th Century French Empire Furniture
Porcelain
Mid-19th Century Danish Antique Empire Furniture
Brass
19th Century European Antique Empire Furniture
Porcelain
20th Century Empire Furniture
Crystal