This design for a pier-glass demonstrates John Linnell’s ability to integrate popular chinoiserie-inspired forms within his furniture designs. The fashion for chinoiserie (the style inspired by the art and design from China, Japan and other Asian countries) was extremely popular throughout the 18^th century and it was often incorporated into people’s homes through furnishings and interior decoration. In this design, Linnell has used characters such as the chinoiserie-inspired figure and a parrot which can also be found within some of his other designs for pier-glasses such as E.187-1929 and E.196-1929. The shelves incorporated into the frame with vases situated on top, also demonstrate the fashion for, and ways of, displaying porcelain during the 18th century.

Pier-glasses were a popular form of 18^th century furnishing and were commonly placed on the wall in between two windows (known as the pier wall). Extremely elaborate pier-glasses, such as the ones designed by John Linnell, were often used to emphasise the grandeur of a wealthy household. They were also important sources of light during the 18^th century and they would reflect the light from nearby candles back into the room. On the back of this design is the inscription ‘Drawing room’ which suggests that this design could have been made for a specific patron, attesting to the popularity of Linnell’s chinoiserie inspired designs.