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 1800s French Antique Empire Furniture
Wool, Feathers
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Wood, Paper
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Brass, Bronze
Early 20th Century French Empire Furniture
Bronze
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Stone, Brass
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Upholstery, Mahogany
Early 1900s French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
1970s Italian Vintage Empire Furniture
Gold, Enamel, Sterling Silver, Gold Plate
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Jacquard, Mahogany
Early 20th Century Unknown Empire Furniture
Upholstery, Wood
1820s French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
19th Century Unknown Antique Empire Furniture
Glass, Oak
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
1940s French Vintage Empire Furniture
Wood
Mid-20th Century French Empire Furniture
Metal, Brass
Mid-19th Century Danish Antique Empire Furniture
Beech
Early 20th Century French Empire Furniture
Marble, Brass, Bronze
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Crystal, Ormolu
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
1640s Unknown Antique Empire Furniture
Wool, Cotton
20th Century French Empire Furniture
Brass, Bronze
Early 19th Century Austrian Antique Empire Furniture
Gold Plate, Sterling Silver
Late 20th Century British Empire Furniture
Damask, Silk, Velvet
1820s American Antique Empire Furniture
Cherry, Poplar
19th Century Italian Antique Empire Furniture
Griotte Marble, Bronze
1790s French Antique Empire Furniture
Ormolu
1880s French Antique Empire Furniture
Brass, Bronze
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Wood
2010s German Empire Furniture
Crystal
1890s French Antique Empire Furniture
Brass, Bronze
20th Century French Empire Furniture
Metal
20th Century French Empire Furniture
Bronze, Ormolu
1920s Italian Vintage Empire Furniture
Alabaster, Brass
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Gold
1960s American Vintage Empire Furniture
Brass
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Empire Furniture
Glass, Wood
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Bronze
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Silver, Sterling Silver
1820s European Antique Empire Furniture
Marble, Brass
19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Stone, Bronze
19th Century Antique Empire Furniture
Marble
Mid-19th Century Italian Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
19th Century Danish Antique Empire Furniture
Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Empire Furniture
Wood
19th Century American Antique Empire Furniture
Mahogany
Early 20th Century French Empire Furniture
Crystal, Bronze, Ormolu
Late 20th Century Empire Furniture
Mirror, Mahogany
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Sterling Silver
Early 1900s Danish Antique Empire Furniture
Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Empire Furniture
Wood
1980s Italian Vintage Empire Furniture
Porcelain
Mid-19th Century Russian Antique Empire Furniture
Silver
1950s American Vintage Empire Furniture
Fabric, Wood
1960s Italian Vintage Empire Furniture
Gold Plate, Sterling Silver, Enamel
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Walnut
1850s French Antique Empire Furniture
Bronze
1920s Vintage Empire Furniture
Crystal
Early 20th Century French Empire Furniture
Marble
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Furniture
Granite
20th Century Italian Empire Furniture
Marble, Bronze, Ormolu





