Napoleon Bonaparte revolutionized war and French empire style furniture. Every modern military unit in the world uses his tactics and formations. Luckily the same can't be said for his empire style furniture. It was in 1804 that Napoleon had himself crowned Emperor of France. Apart from numerous self-glorifying portraits empire style furniture was to become the icon of that era.
Empire style furniture reflects the Bonaparte majesty, grandeur, and Napoleon felt it fitting to honor his glory. The empire style furniture is the last of the great French styles that spread its look throughout the world. Napoleon was overwhelmingly proud of his military successes in Italy and Egypt.
He brought to France archaeological images of ancient Egypt. Empire furniture of this period imitated the design features of these other great empires. Napoleon commissioned the designers and artists of Europe to create buildings and decor that would invoke the grandeur of Greece, the glory of Rome and the excesses of the Pharaohs.
Empire style furniture is BIG. It reflects Napoleon's testosterone fueled ego. It has a severe, heavy, masculine look. It is devoid of wood carving which was the hallmark of the styles of Louis XIV, Louis XV and Louis XVI. Delicate carving is replaced by veneers polished to a high sheen. To compensate for the blankness of wood veneer, metal gilts adorn empire style furniture.
Empire style furniture is instantly distinguished by the vulgar use of ormolu mounts. Ormolus are gilt-metal decorations usually in decorative but always jingoistic motifs. The motifs are from Egyptian artifacts such as falcons, sphinxes, cobras, obelisks, winged lions and so on. Napoleon promoted both the French language and Egyptology.
As well as Egypt there are decorative touches derived from ancient Greek and Roman designs. Vases, lamps, torches, heads of Greek gods, ram's head and cornucopias are all to be seen on Empire style of furniture. French jingoism ran rampant during the Napoleonic era and it was evident in the many furniture features. Picture laurel wreaths, eagles, swords, lances, rifles, drums and bugles. Animals or mythical creatures such as sphinxes replace the curved traditional legs on empire furniture.
In summary then, the common characteristics that make empire furniture distinguishable are:
o A Hefty masculine look.
o Wood veneers polished to high sheen.
o The excessive use of large, often badly cast ormolu motifs.
o Wood back chairs with upholstered seats.
o Greco-Roman classical decals.
o Mirror-back console tables. Ladies skirts were shorter now and this was a device for everyone to check out the ankle displays
o Nationalistic and military motifs and the use of letter "N".
There is no mistaking the empire style of furniture of the 1800s.
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