Empire Wall Decorations
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 Wall Decorations
Canvas
Mid-20th Century Empire Wall Decorations
Acrylic, Wood
Early 20th Century Persian Empire Wall Decorations
Wool
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Wall Decorations
Paper
19th Century European Antique Empire Wall Decorations
Paper
Early 20th Century Persian Empire Wall Decorations
Wool
1820s French Antique Empire Wall Decorations
Tin
Early 20th Century Persian Empire Wall Decorations
Wool
Early 20th Century Persian Empire Wall Decorations
Wool
Late 18th Century French Antique Empire Wall Decorations
Paint, Giltwood
19th Century French Antique Empire Wall Decorations
Canvas
Early 19th Century German Antique Empire Wall Decorations
Canvas, Giltwood
19th Century Italian Antique Empire Wall Decorations
Paper
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Wall Decorations
Metal
Early 20th Century French Empire Wall Decorations
Fabric, Wood
Early 2000s Unknown Empire Wall Decorations
Wool, Cotton
Early 2000s Unknown Empire Wall Decorations
Wool, Cotton
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Wall Decorations
Paper
Early 19th Century English Antique Empire Wall Decorations
Canvas, Wood
1820s Austrian Antique Empire Wall Decorations
Alabaster, Bronze
1820s Swedish Antique Empire Wall Decorations
Iron
1810s French Antique Empire Wall Decorations
Gold Leaf
Early 1800s French Antique Empire Wall Decorations
Gold Leaf
Early 2000s Unknown Empire Wall Decorations
Wool, Cotton
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Wall Decorations
Paper
19th Century French Antique Empire Wall Decorations
Paper
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Wall Decorations
Paper
19th Century French Antique Empire Wall Decorations
Wood, Paint, Porcelain
Early 2000s Unknown Empire Wall Decorations
Wool, Cotton
20th Century Italian Empire Wall Decorations
Gold Leaf
Early 20th Century French Empire Wall Decorations
Wood
Early 20th Century French Empire Wall Decorations
Wood
Late 20th Century British Empire Wall Decorations
Paper
Late 20th Century Unknown Empire Wall Decorations
Wool, Cotton
Early 2000s Unknown Empire Wall Decorations
Wool, Cotton
1950s French Vintage Empire Wall Decorations
Canvas
18th Century European Antique Empire Wall Decorations
Paper
Early 20th Century French Empire Wall Decorations
Brass
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Empire Wall Decorations
Iron
Early 1900s English Antique Empire Wall Decorations
Cotton
Early 2000s Unknown Empire Wall Decorations
Wool, Cotton
Early 2000s Unknown Empire Wall Decorations
Wool, Cotton
Early 20th Century French Empire Wall Decorations
Ceramic
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Wall Decorations
Giltwood, Paint
Early 2000s Unknown Empire Wall Decorations
Wool, Cotton
Early 2000s Unknown Empire Wall Decorations
Wool, Cotton
Early 2000s Unknown Empire Wall Decorations
Wool, Cotton
Early 2000s Unknown Empire Wall Decorations
Wool, Cotton
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Wall Decorations
Canvas
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Empire Wall Decorations
Canvas, Wood
Early 20th Century Spanish Empire Wall Decorations
Bronze
Early 2000s Unknown Empire Wall Decorations
Wool, Cotton
Early 2000s Unknown Empire Wall Decorations
Wool, Cotton
19th Century Italian Antique Empire Wall Decorations
Wood
19th Century French Antique Empire Wall Decorations
Brass
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Empire Wall Decorations
Wood
1860s French Antique Empire Wall Decorations
Marble
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Wall Decorations
Wood