Pair of French Empire gilt wall sconces
Pair of French Empire gilt wall sconces
7043
A pair of early 19th century French Empire gilt wall candle sconces with glass obelisk over a gilt rams head, circa 1820.
The French Empire style, flourishing during Napoleon I's reign (1804-1815), embodied grandeur, power, and classical refinement. Inspired by ancient Rome and Greece, it showcased symmetry, strong geometric forms, and monumental scale.
Furniture often featured mahogany, gilded bronze, and motifs like laurel wreaths, eagles, sphinxes, and mythological figures, symbolising strength and authority. Interiors emphasised rich fabrics-silk, velvet, damask-alongside bold colours such as deep red, gold, and imperial blue.
Architecture embraced triumphal arches, columns, and domes, reinforcing imperial ambition. The style represented both political propaganda and artistic elegance, leaving a lasting influence on European decorative arts and Neoclassical design.
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, embodied grandeur, power, and classical refinement. Inspired by ancient Rome and Greece, it showcased symmetry, strong geometric forms, and monumental scale. Furniture often featured mahogany, gilded bronze, and motifs like laurel wreaths, eagles, sphinxes, and mythological figures, symbolising strength and authority. Interiors emphasised rich fabrics-silk, velvet, damask-alongside bold colours such as deep red, gold, and imperial blue. Architecture embraced triumphal arches, columns, and domes, reinforcing imperial ambition. The style represented both political propaganda and artistic elegance, leaving a lasting influence on European decorative arts and Neoclassical design.){kind=link}