The Empire Style

Origins

The Empire, as a style, evolved from the formal Neoclassicism of the late 18th century. The works of Adams in England, the Gustavians in Sweden, and Villanueva in Spain served as the setting as Napoleon Bonaparte’s political conquest swept through Europe. The Empire style is a result of Napoleon’s desire for new designs incorporating masculine and military themes as a result of the French-English social upheaval and economic rivalry of the era (roughly 1790's to the early 1800's). The ornamentation of the style is heavily influenced by archeological discoveries in Greece, Rome, Pompeii, Egypt, and more specifically, Herculaneum. The architects Percier & Fontaine can be considered the primary originators of the Empire Style, and many of their designs were documented in their book Recueil de décorations intérieurs, published in 1801 and enlarged in 1812. The book contributed largely to the popularity of the style, and included a spectacular range of Neoclassical ornamentation in an array of motifs. Delicate arrangements of geometric patterns, foliage, animals, and mythological scenes in low relief, which were lightly colored and gilded became trademarks of the style. In 1813, Joseph Beunat authored the first catalog of mass-produced ornament in the Empire style, Recueil des dessins d’ornaments d’architecture, which followed closely the precedent established by Percier & Fontaine. This marked the first time in history that classical ornamentation was available to the general public in a mass-produced capacity, which contributed to the widespread dissemination of the Empire style throughout Europe and the western world.

Manifestations and Examples

The Empire made its way effectively into several disciplines including architecture, art, interior design (on which it had the most widespread and lasting influence), furniture design, and clothing design.

Architecture

Buildings throughout Europe were designed with an Empire expression by many of the most influential architects of the time. Percier & Fontaine are responsible of the refinement of Neoclassicism as they drew inspiration from then-recent archeological findings. Napoleon I commissioned them to re-decorate interior spaces in Malmaison and Fontainebleau, which became the beginning of the Empire style. Later, the architects designed such enduring edifices as the Carrousel du Louvre and were responsible for the transfomation of the Rue de Rivoli, both in Paris. Carl Ludwig Engel became well-known for his buildings in northern Europe, including several buildings in Tallinn, Estonia and at least two institutional buildings in the Empire style at Helsinki University, the Main Building and the Library. Karl Fredrik Schinkel, a Prussian architect, designed such grand edifices as Schloss Charlottenberg (and its interiors) and Altes Museum, both in Berlin. Another significant contributor to the Empire style (and to its established methodology of mass production) was Carl Fredrik Blom, who designed the pre-fabricated Rosendal Palace. These are but a few of the more well-known architects who designed using Empire as source of inspiration.

Art

As in other stylistic expressions, Empire became visible through the work of contemporary artists. Joseph-Marie Vien produced Seller of Cupids, in which the costumes and furnishings are clearly influenced by the popular style of the day. Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres produced Death of Leonardo da Vinci, which shows similar expressions of Empire. Yet another artist that painted with an Empire influence is Louis-Leopold Boilly, who produced A Game of Billiards. The work of these artists was often carefully integrated into the architecture, adding substantially to the overall impression of Empire as a complete approach to design.

Interiors

Empire became most well-known for its impact on interiors throughout Europe. Many examples can still be found, at least partially due to the more protected environments interior spaces provide. As mentioned above, Percier & Fontaine designed new interior spaces for Malmaison and Fontainebleau. Some of their work is documented in drawings seen in Beunat’s Recueil des dessins d’ornaments d’architecture. Another Parisian architect, Pierre Patte, designed the interiors for the Hôtel de Charost, located in Paris. The availability of mass-produced ornament, such as that found in Beunat’s catalogue, facilitated the grandeur that came to be associated with Empire interior architecture.

Furniture and Furnishings

As the design of interior architecture became influenced by the Empire style, so did the furniture designed for those spaces that were so delicately adorned with classical ornament. Fabrics, woodcarvings, and hardware were among the mediums used to transform furniture into displays of heads, urns, cornucopias, swans, and griffons, which were often combined with swags and other trailing foliage. Among the most pre-eminent cabinet-makers was Françios-Honoré Jacob-Desmalter, whose work can currently be viewed at such prestigious institutions as the Louvre. Wedgwood also made a large contribution to the dissemination of Empire with their line of jasperware porcelain, which is still available to this day. In addition, Martin-Guillaume Biennais produced silverware that seamlessly completed the clean, masculine, and boastful expression of the Empire interior.

Clothing

Empire became an inclusive approach to design to such an extent that even the period clothing became a venue for expression. Muslin, a fabric less expensive than silk, became a popular fabric, which finished in long flowing lines reminiscent of typical Grecian ladies’ attire seen in art found throughout the Roman Empire. Neck lines on dresses were lowered and squared, and waistlines were raised; hence, the Empire waist. Ornamentation on clothing initially included Greek keys and other such ornament inspired by ancient Greeks and Romans, which included delicate and light embroidery. Eventually, the ornamentation became heavier and more militaristic, and eventually gave way to Egyptian and Gothic themes.

Resultant Influence

The Empire style continued to flourish after Napoleon’s abdication in 1815, due to its widespread acceptance and availability. Such influencial and memorable styles as English Regency, American Federal, Edwardian, and Biedermeier owe much of their richness to the architects and other designers of the late 18th an early 19th centuries, whose cultural and societal entrepreneurship, coupled with the early beginnings of the Industrial Revolution, brought classical beauty not only to society’s elite, but made that beauty available to middle classes throughout Europe.