Empire Style Furniture Characteristics

Political activity heavily influenced early to mid 19th century furniture style as seen in two dominant styles french and american empire.

Empire style furniture characteristics.

Several new forms of tables also came into being especially the sofa table. It made the elevation of empire realistic and the delicacy of directoire durable. American empire 1800 to 1840 the american empire period took more influence from the french than the english with a greater emphasis on curved arms cabriole legs and ornate paw or claw feet. The empire style french pronunciation.

The empire style is often considered an evolution of the neoclassical style which had emerged in the second half of the 18th century and had some common characteristics. The empire style is named for the rule of napoleon bonaparte as emperor and josephine his first wife as empress. It gained its greatest popularity in the u s. Victorian style reigned over furniture in the last half of the century but you can t use the term victorian to accurately describe a 19th century furniture style since the era is defined by style.

This was the french empire style in architecture it resulted in large and imperial structures and in furniture it resulted in regal pieces that communicated both strength and wealth. The characteristic furniture types were a bit stiff but imposing. ɑ piːʁ style empire is an early nineteenth century design movement in architecture furniture other decorative arts and the visual arts representing the second phase of neoclassicism it flourished between 1800 and 1815 during the consulate and the first french empire periods although its life span lasted until the late 1820s. While plump and naively grotesque at its worst it did often reach remarkable simplicity sophistication and functionality.

American empire is a french inspired neoclassical style of american furniture and decoration that takes its name and originates from the empire style introduced during the first french empire period under napoleon s rule. Stylistically biedermeier furniture softened the rigidity of the empire style and added weight to directoire. After 1820 and is considered the second more robust phase of the neoclassical style which earlier had been expressed in the. Their flat surfaces and sharp corners together with their lack of moldings produced an effect of grandeur that was not without beauty.

New furniture forms of this period include the sleigh bed with the headboard and footboard forming a graceful arch. Because the architectural style of the empire period used big open rooms the sofa was now allowed to be in the center of the room with a table behind it. Biedermeier furniture derives essentially from the empire and directoire styles. Their architects charles percier pierre fo.