Second Empire

American  

noun

1. the empire established in France (1852–70) by Louis Napoleon: the successor to the Second Republic.

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Second Empire British  

noun

1. 1. the imperial government of France under Napoleon III

   2. the period during which this government functioned (1852–70)

2. the style of furniture and decoration of the Second Empire, reviving the Empire style, but with fussier ornamentation

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Example Sentences

“We cover all the different styles, like how to identify Italianate revival or Second Empire, and then all the juicy tidbits about all the rich people who lived there,” she says.

From Washington Post

He also served power unapologetically, making flattering, even kitschy images of the royal court and family of Napoleon III during the Second Empire.

From Washington Post

A massive mansard roof with dormers, tall windows and paired doors at the above-grade entrance all indicate Second Empire.

From Washington Post

The Second Empire home at 1 Logan Cir. NW could have been ripped from an Edward Hopper painting.

From Washington Post

The new look features parquet wooden floors and terra cotta walls that were chosen to resemble the Second Empire style of Napoleon III, who created the gallery to display Etruscan antiquities in the mid-19th century.

From New York Times