Empire Armchairs
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.
1880s French Antique Empire Armchairs
Mahogany
19th Century French Antique Empire Armchairs
Upholstery, Mahogany
Late 19th Century Swedish Antique Empire Armchairs
Beech, Giltwood
Early 1800s French Antique Empire Armchairs
Velvet, Mahogany
1890s French Antique Empire Armchairs
Mahogany, Fabric
20th Century French Empire Armchairs
Linen, Upholstery, Mahogany
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Armchairs
Gold Leaf
Early 19th Century Danish Antique Empire Armchairs
Fabric, Mahogany, Satinwood
1810s French Antique Empire Armchairs
Ormolu
Early 1800s French Antique Empire Armchairs
Mahogany
Early 19th Century German Antique Empire Armchairs
Brass
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Armchairs
Fabric, Mahogany
Early 1800s French Antique Empire Armchairs
Mahogany
19th Century French Antique Empire Armchairs
Velvet, Mahogany
Late 19th Century European Antique Empire Armchairs
Bronze, Ormolu
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Armchairs
Fruitwood
1830s European Antique Empire Armchairs
Mahogany
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Armchairs
Mahogany
Early 19th Century Danish Antique Empire Armchairs
Fabric, Birch, Mahogany
19th Century French Antique Empire Armchairs
Bronze
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Armchairs
Mahogany
19th Century French Antique Empire Armchairs
Damask
1980s American Vintage Empire Armchairs
Fabric, Upholstery, Wood
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Armchairs
Bronze
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Armchairs
Wood
Early 19th Century English Antique Empire Armchairs
Mahogany
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Armchairs
Mahogany
19th Century French Antique Empire Armchairs
Walnut
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Empire Armchairs
Giltwood
1980s American Vintage Empire Armchairs
Hardwood, Giltwood, Paint
Early 19th Century Danish Antique Empire Armchairs
Hardwood, Mahogany, Satinwood
Early 19th Century German Antique Empire Armchairs
Wood
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Armchairs
Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Empire Armchairs
Velvet, Wood
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Armchairs
Mahogany
Late 20th Century Empire Armchairs
Ultrasuede, Wicker, Mahogany
Early 19th Century Danish Antique Empire Armchairs
Birch
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Empire Armchairs
Mahogany
20th Century French Empire Armchairs
Linen, Upholstery, Mahogany
1810s French Antique Empire Armchairs
Upholstery, Walnut
Early 19th Century Danish Antique Empire Armchairs
Cane, Fruitwood, Mahogany
19th Century French Antique Empire Armchairs
Walnut, Velvet
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Armchairs
Leather, Mahogany
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Armchairs
Bronze
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Armchairs
Mahogany
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Armchairs
Silk, Mahogany
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Armchairs
Silk, Wood, Mahogany
19th Century French Antique Empire Armchairs
Mahogany
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Armchairs
Wood
1810s Russian Antique Empire Armchairs
Mahogany
19th Century French Antique Empire Armchairs
Bronze
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Armchairs
Bentwood
19th Century French Antique Empire Armchairs
Upholstery, Mahogany
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Armchairs
Silk, Mahogany
1840s Danish Antique Empire Armchairs
Fabric, Birch
Early 19th Century Belgian Antique Empire Armchairs
Bentwood
19th Century French Antique Empire Armchairs
Mohair, Mahogany
19th Century French Antique Empire Armchairs
Brass