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 2000s Unknown Empire Furniture
Wool, Cotton
1890s American Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Bronze
Early 2000s Unknown Empire Furniture
Wool, Cotton
1960s French Vintage Empire Furniture
Brass, Bronze
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Walnut
Early 19th Century European Antique Empire Furniture
Silver, Brass
1810s French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Mahogany
Mid-18th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Wool
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Velvet, Mahogany
Early 19th Century German Antique Empire Furniture
Gold Leaf
20th Century French Empire Furniture
Opaline Glass
15th Century and Earlier Italian Antique Empire Furniture
Wool, Feathers
Mid-19th Century American Antique Empire Furniture
Brass
Early 19th Century Antique Empire Furniture
Porcelain
19th Century English Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze, Ormolu
Early 2000s Unknown Empire Furniture
Wool, Cotton
1860s French Antique Empire Furniture
Onyx, Bronze
Early 20th Century French Empire Furniture
Bronze
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble
16th Century Belgian Antique Empire Furniture
Wool
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Metal, Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Empire Furniture
Wood
1870s North American Antique Empire Furniture
Upholstery, Wood, Mahogany, Satinwood
20th Century French Empire Furniture
Paper
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Upholstery, Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Empire Furniture
Wood
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Crystal, Ormolu
Early 1800s French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Bronze
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze, Ormolu
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Mahogany
1820s French Antique Empire Furniture
Wool
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary European Empire Furniture
Crystal, Brass, Wire
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Empire Furniture
Canvas, Wood
Early 1800s French Antique Empire Furniture
Textile
Early 20th Century Spanish Empire Furniture
Bronze
1810s German Antique Empire Furniture
Cherry
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Bronze
Early 20th Century Hungarian Empire Furniture
Pine
1940s French Vintage Empire Furniture
Crystal, Bronze
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Brass
Early 1900s Unknown Antique Empire Furniture
Mahogany
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Brass
Mid-20th Century French Empire Furniture
Crystal, Bronze
1930s French Vintage Empire Furniture
Upholstery, Walnut
1920s Asian Vintage Empire Furniture
Wool, Cotton
Early 1800s French Antique Empire Furniture
Mahogany
Mid-20th Century French Empire Furniture
Walnut
1940s English Vintage Empire Furniture
Upholstery, Wood
1950s American Vintage Empire Furniture
Fabric, Wood
19th Century European Antique Empire Furniture
Wood
Early 20th Century French Empire Furniture
Marble
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
1890s Italian Antique Empire Furniture
Mahogany, Spruce
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze, Enamel
Mid-18th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Wool
Early 19th Century Austrian Antique Empire Furniture
Brass
1980s Vintage Empire Furniture
Bronze
18th Century Italian Antique Empire Furniture
Wool, Feathers
Early 20th Century Unknown Empire Furniture
Stone
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble
Early 19th Century German Antique Empire Furniture
Ash
Early 20th Century French Empire Furniture
Bronze
19th Century European Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Bronze
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Brass, Bronze, Steel
1810s Scandinavian Antique Empire Furniture
Brass
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble
17th Century Antique Empire Furniture
Wool, Feathers
1920s Asian Vintage Empire Furniture
Wool, Cotton
Late 19th Century Swedish Antique Empire Furniture
Beech, Giltwood
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Granite, Brass
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Wool