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.
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.
Mid-19th Century Italian Antique Empire Wall Decorations
Canvas
Early 1800s Italian Antique Empire Wall Decorations
Wood
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Wall Decorations
Marble, Ormolu
1820s Austrian Antique Empire Wall Decorations
Alabaster, Bronze
19th Century French Antique Empire Wall Decorations
Plaster
1810s French Antique Empire Wall Decorations
Elm, Paper
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Wall Decorations
Paint
Early 1800s French Antique Empire Wall Decorations
Bronze
Early 19th Century European Antique Empire Wall Decorations
Bronze
Mid-18th Century Danish Antique Empire Wall Decorations
Canvas
Early 1900s European Antique Empire Wall Decorations
Glass, Paint, Wood
Late 18th Century French Antique Empire Wall Decorations
Paint, Giltwood
19th Century Antique Empire Wall Decorations
Iron
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Wall Decorations
Porcelain
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Empire Wall Decorations
Scagliola, Wood, Paint
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Wall Decorations
Bronze
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Empire Wall Decorations
Bronze, Ormolu
1890s Belgian Antique Empire Wall Decorations
Wool
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Wall Decorations
Paper
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Wall Decorations
Giltwood, Paint
Early 1800s French Antique Empire Wall Decorations
Paper, Paint
Early 19th Century Russian Antique Empire Wall Decorations
Paint
Early 19th Century European Antique Empire Wall Decorations
Wood, Paper
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Empire Wall Decorations
Wood
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Wall Decorations
Paper
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Empire Wall Decorations
Wood
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Empire Wall Decorations
Wood
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Empire Wall Decorations
Wood
19th Century French Antique Empire Wall Decorations
Canvas
Mid-18th Century French Antique Empire Wall Decorations
Giltwood, Paint
19th Century European Antique Empire Wall Decorations
Paper
1920s Belgian Vintage Empire Wall Decorations
Tapestry, Birdseye Maple
Early 20th Century French Empire Wall Decorations
Canvas
19th Century Antique Empire Wall Decorations
Paper
1820s French Antique Empire Wall Decorations
Tin
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Wall Decorations
Canvas, Giltwood
Early 19th Century German Antique Empire Wall Decorations
Canvas, Giltwood
Early 20th Century Persian Empire Wall Decorations
Wool
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Wall Decorations
Paper
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Wall Decorations
Paper
Mid-19th Century Italian Antique Empire Wall Decorations
Marble, Bronze
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Wall Decorations
Canvas
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Wall Decorations
Wood, Paper
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Wall Decorations
Porcelain
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Empire Wall Decorations
Watercolor, Gouache
Late 19th Century Russian Antique Empire Wall Decorations
Paint
1890s Russian Antique Empire Wall Decorations
Paint
Early 19th Century British Antique Empire Wall Decorations
Porcelain
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Wall Decorations
Sheet Metal
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Wall Decorations
Canvas
Late 18th Century French Antique Empire Wall Decorations
Paper
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Wall Decorations
Giltwood, Glass
Mid-20th Century Empire Wall Decorations
Acrylic, Wood
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Wall Decorations
Brass
Early 19th Century Swiss Antique Empire Wall Decorations
Canvas
19th Century Armenian Antique Empire Wall Decorations
Metallic Thread
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Empire Wall Decorations
Boxwood, Oak
19th Century French Antique Empire Wall Decorations
Canvas