armchair, bed, bronze dore's scones, ten branch chandelier and commode in
Empire style furniture
19th century
Empire is an early
19th century style of architecture and furniture design during the rule
of France by Napoleon I (1769 - 1821) who became Emperor (1804 - 1814).
The Empire style was based on aspects of the Roman Empire.
It is the second phase of neoclassicism which is also called
"Directoire", after a governement system.
Furniture typically had symbols and ornaments borrowed from the
glorious ancient Greek and Roman empires.
The furniture was made from heavy woods such as mahogany
and ebony, imported from the colonies,
with
dark finishes often with decorative bronze mounts. Marble tops were
popular as were Egyptian motifs like sphinxes, griffins, urns and
eagles and the Napoleonic symbols, the eagle, the bee, the initials "I"
and a large "N."
Gilded bronze (ormolu) details
displayed a high level of craftsmanship.
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