The Empire style flourished during the reign of Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte from 1805-1814.  Napoleon was in love with the sense of his own importance and greatness, and the Empire style reflected this in imposing, lavish pieces made to exacting standards.    He was attracted to the ancient Greco-Roman and Egyptian cultures and borrowed heavily from their imagery, symmetry and rich ornamentation for decoration. Empire furniture often included motifs such as sphinxes, eagles and griffins, all symbolizing the power of the state.  Napoleon wanted the world to recognize the greatness of the French, and he achieved this with the Empire style, considered luxury furniture and wildly popular among the upper classes.  The style remained popular throughout the 19th century.

 

Bronze d'oré, also known as ormolu or gilt bronze, was a decorative finish used on luxury furnishings in the 18th and 19th centuries. An application of finely ground high carat gold and mercury amalgam was placed on objects of bronze. When subjected to extremely high heat, the mercury evaporated, leaving behind a lustrous coating of gold.

Gilt-bronze trim was used to protect furniture from damage and to emphasize form, and to mount beautiful objects such as candelabra, clocks, lamps, pedestals and porcelain vases.