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 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Crystal, Metal
1860s French Antique Empire Furniture
Walnut
Late 19th Century Unknown Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
Late 19th Century Scandinavian Antique Empire Furniture
Mahogany, Mirror
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Paper
Late 19th Century Spanish Antique Empire Furniture
Gold Leaf
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
19th Century European Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze, Ormolu
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Fabric, Mahogany
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Wool
Early 19th Century Russian Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Walnut
1820s French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Empire Furniture
Crystal, Rock Crystal, Metal
Late 19th Century English Antique Empire Furniture
Brass
1810s Austrian Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Brass, Bronze, Ormolu
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Porcelain
1790s French Antique Empire Furniture
Ormolu
1820s French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Wood
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze, Ormolu
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Giltwood, Mirror
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Ormolu
1820s French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Bronze
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Wool
Early 1800s French Antique Empire Furniture
Ormolu
1810s Scandinavian Antique Empire Furniture
Brass
1880s European Antique Empire Furniture
Ormolu
18th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Wool
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Metal, Bronze
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Brass
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Bronze
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Silk
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Mahogany
1890s English Antique Empire Furniture
Crystal
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Crystal, Bronze
1860s French Antique Empire Furniture
Wool, Cotton
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Sterling Silver
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Gold Plate, Bronze
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Metal
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Ormolu, Bronze
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Upholstery, Wood, Walnut
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Bronze
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
1870s French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
Early 1800s French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble
1890s French Antique Empire Furniture
Silk, Mahogany
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
Early 19th Century German Antique Empire Furniture
Brass
19th Century Russian Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze