THE SERPENTINED AND HOLLOW-SIDED CHEST-OF-DRAWERS ENRICHED WITH THE NATURE GODDESS'S SCALLOP-SHELL BADGE IS CONCEIVED IN THE 'PICTURESQUE' MANNER SUCH AS FEATURED IN A JAPANNED DRESSING-CABINET DESIGN ILLUSTRATED IN THOMAS CHIPPENDALE'S GENTLEMAN AND CABINET-MAKER'S DIRECTOR, 3RD ED., 1763, PL. CXVIII. ITS SARCOPHAGUS FORM AND THE VOLUTED TRUSSES OF ITS STAND CORRESPOND TO CHIPPENDALE'S CLOTHES-CHEST PATTERN ILLUSTRATED IN THE SOCIETY OF UPHOLSTERER'S GENTEEL HOUSEHOLD FURNITURE OF CIRCA 1765, PL. 45 (E. WHITE, PICTORIAL DICTIONARY OF ENGLISH 18TH CENTURY FURNITURE DESIGN, WOODBRIDGE, 1993, PP. 188 AND 249).

THE FRENCH PRACTICE OF MOULDING LACQUER PANELS APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN INTRODUCED TO LONDON IN THE 1750S BY THE éBéNISTE PIERRE LANGLOIS (D. 1765). A RELATED LACQUER-VENEERED CHEST-OF-DRAWERS WITH SHELL-EMBELLISHED PLINTH IS LISTED IN A ROOM IN THE CHINESE PAVILION, WITH LACQUER-LANDSCAPED WALL, IN THE 1777 INVENTORY OF DROTTNINGHOLM, STOCKHOLM. IT MAY HAVE FORMED PART OF THE FURNISHINGS ACQUIRED BY QUEEN LOVISIA ULRICA THROUGH THE SWEDISH EAST INDIA COMPANY (A. SETTERWALL, THE CHINESE PAVILION AT DROTTNINGHOLM, SWEDEN, 1972, P. 146). SERPENTINED CHEST-OF-DRAWERS ALSO FEATURE ON A NUMBER OF BUREAU-CABINETS OF THE PERIOD SUCH AS THAT AT THE VICTORIA & ALBERT MUSEUM (M. JOURDAIN, CHINESE EXPORT ART, LONDON, 1950, FIG. 240)