Empire Vanities
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 Vanities
Marble, Brass
1840s Spanish Antique Empire Vanities
Walnut
19th Century Antique Empire Vanities
Marble, Brass
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Vanities
Marble
Early 1800s French Antique Empire Vanities
Mirror, Wood, Cherry
19th Century French Antique Empire Vanities
Metal, Brass
1830s Danish Antique Empire Vanities
Bronze
Late 19th Century Scandinavian Antique Empire Vanities
Marble
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Vanities
Mirror, Mahogany
Early 20th Century French Empire Vanities
Mahogany
19th Century French Antique Empire Vanities
Marble, Brass
2010s Italian Empire Vanities
Gold Leaf, Silver Leaf
19th Century French Antique Empire Vanities
Mahogany
1940s French Vintage Empire Vanities
Ormolu
1810s French Antique Empire Vanities
Bronze
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Vanities
Marble
19th Century French Antique Empire Vanities
Bronze
19th Century French Antique Empire Vanities
Marble, Ormolu
19th Century French Antique Empire Vanities
Ormolu, Brass
19th Century French Antique Empire Vanities
Ormolu
1950s Italian Vintage Empire Vanities
Burl, Mirror, Walnut
1930s English Vintage Empire Vanities
Mirror, Walnut
Late 19th Century British Antique Empire Vanities
Softwood, Mahogany
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Vanities
Mirror
1930s English Vintage Empire Vanities
Walnut
1850s French Antique Empire Vanities
Walnut
1890s French Antique Empire Vanities
Walnut
19th Century English Antique Empire Vanities
Sterling Silver
Late 19th Century Antique Empire Vanities
Mirror, Satinwood
21st Century and Contemporary American Empire Vanities
Wood, Glass
Mid-20th Century Empire Vanities
Mirror
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Vanities
Marble
1990s French Empire Vanities
Marble
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Vanities
Marble, Bronze
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Vanities
Marble, Metal, Ormolu
19th Century French Antique Empire Vanities
Ormolu
19th Century French Antique Empire Vanities
Brass
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Vanities
Marble, Bronze
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Vanities
19th Century French Antique Empire Vanities
Marble
1850s French Antique Empire Vanities
Mahogany
Mid-19th Century Antique Empire Vanities
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Vanities
Mirror, Birch
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Vanities
Mahogany