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.
1820s French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
Early 2000s Unknown Empire Furniture
Wool, Cotton
1840s Danish Antique Empire Furniture
Fabric, Mahogany
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Brass
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Crystal, Bronze
1810s French Antique Empire Furniture
Ormolu
1850s French Antique Empire Furniture
Crystal, Bronze
Early 20th Century Italian Empire Furniture
Alabaster, Brass
1830s French Antique Empire Furniture
Walnut
Early 20th Century American Empire Furniture
Mahogany
20th Century French Empire Furniture
Crystal
20th Century French Empire Furniture
Crystal, Bronze
Mid-20th Century Italian Empire Furniture
Bronze
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble
1850s French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
Early 2000s Unknown Empire Furniture
Wool, Cotton
1980s American Vintage Empire Furniture
Hardwood, Giltwood, Paint
20th Century French Empire Furniture
Bronze, Steel
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Beech
1810s Italian Antique Empire Furniture
Giltwood
21st Century and Contemporary French Empire Furniture
Metal
Early 19th Century Indian Antique Empire Furniture
Reed, Teak
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble
20th Century French Empire Furniture
Marble, Brass, Iron
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Gold Plate, Brass, Bronze
Late 20th Century American Empire Furniture
Cherry
Late 18th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Mirror, Giltwood, Pine
20th Century French Empire Furniture
Metal
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
19th Century Italian Antique Empire Furniture
Mahogany, Giltwood
Late 19th Century European Antique Empire Furniture
Mirror, Wood
2010s American Empire Furniture
Beech
Early 19th Century European Antique Empire Furniture
Silver, Brass
Late 20th Century Italian Empire Furniture
Metal
1990s Empire Furniture
Bronze
20th Century French Empire Furniture
Brass, Bronze
1950s Italian Vintage Empire Furniture
Porcelain
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Mahogany
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Empire Furniture
Metal
Early 20th Century Empire Furniture
Alabaster
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
Early 20th Century French Empire Furniture
Bronze
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Cast Stone
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Velvet, Mahogany
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Upholstery, Wood
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Giltwood
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Porcelain
1810s French Antique Empire Furniture
Ormolu
Early 19th Century Danish Antique Empire Furniture
Mahogany
1980s Vintage Empire Furniture
Mahogany
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Brass
1880s French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble
Early 19th Century Antique Empire Furniture
Porcelain
Early 20th Century Spanish Empire Furniture
Bronze
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Walnut
Early 1900s Unknown Antique Empire Furniture
Mahogany
Early 1800s French Antique Empire Furniture
Textile
15th Century and Earlier Italian Antique Empire Furniture
Wool, Feathers
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze, Ormolu
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Leather, Mahogany, Maple
Early 2000s Unknown Empire Furniture
Wool, Cotton
Early 19th Century European Antique Empire Furniture
Lacquer, Beech
Early 19th Century Austrian Antique Empire Furniture
Gold Plate, Sterling Silver
1960s French Vintage Empire Furniture
Brass, Bronze
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Giltwood
Early 19th Century German Antique Empire Furniture
Gold Leaf
1810s German Antique Empire Furniture
Cherry
21st Century and Contemporary European Empire Furniture
Crystal, Brass, Wire
Early 2000s French Empire Furniture
Wool
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Bronze
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze, Ormolu
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Brass