French Empire Style Furniture Characteristics

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.

French empire style furniture characteristics.

Their flat surfaces and sharp corners together with their lack of moldings produced an. 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. Dominated by greco roman models the empire style spare noble massive had a studied dignity consistent with napoleonic majesty. It gained its greatest popularity in the u s.

Raised gilded ornamentation and the rounded shape of this dresser are baroque. Foliage motifs baroque style used a great deal of plant life in its ornamentation including scrolling foliage and garlands of flowers. Plentiful gold and darker shades of ivory are typically baroque style. The result was a style whose spectacular success and uniformity was unprecedented in france.

The style corresponds somewhat to the biedermeier style in the german speaking lands federal style in the united states and the regency style in britain. 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. Supporting columns on the corners of dressers and glass in place of raised panels were also hallmarks of this period. After 1820 and is considered the second more robust phase of the neoclassical style which earlier had been expressed in the adam style in britain and louis seize or louis xvi in france.

Chair backs showing the graceful backward curve from seat to rolled over chair top. The klismos style chair directly modeled on ancient greek styles was one of the most important forms of the empire style this was the french empire style. Neoclassic in style it was a period inspired by the decorative motifs and characteristics of greco roman models a french style intended to clearly express the imperial majesty of napoleonic france. The new elite owed its fortune and glory to a master whose predilections it imitated shamelessly.

The characteristic furniture types were a bit stiff but imposing. Slender and curved legs like the. Directoire french interiors are characterised by painted wallpaper instead of the tapestries of earlier french periods furniture coverings and curtains of cretonne with classic designs in place of brocades and damasks or magnificent textiles. The previous fashionable style in france had been the directoire style a more austere and minimalist form of neoclassicism that replaced the louis xvi style.

The empire style brought a full return to ostentatious richness. The economy was booming and a new haute bourgeois aristocracy was forming that craved fine furniture and decoration. Simple curtain poles often arrow shaped not heavy cornices. The empire style was popularized during the reign of napoleon i and is marked by a continuation of neoclassical motifs from the era preceding it albeit in a more elegant and opulent way.