This presentation design for a pier-glass by John Linnell is highly decorative and sculptural in form. The winged putti at the top of the pier-glass, one of whom appears to be painting a figure of a bust, celebrate the arts of drawing and sculpture. This is also emphasised by the incorporation of an easel and paintbrushes at the bottom of the frame. Although a highly original design, the ornamental scrollwork and characters that Linnell has incorporated owe much to the drawings by French designers such as Juste-Aurele Meissonnier. The flamboyant design is also contemporary with the fashion for the rococo, a style which became popular during the first half of the 18^th century. The rococo can be identified by curvilinear asymmetric forms and naturalistic motifs, which are demonstrated within this design. Linnell was incorporating masks, such as this one below the putti, within some of his other designs for pier-glasses and sconces such as in E.160-1929.

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 candles placed nearby. This type of pier- glass could have been used within important state rooms such as drawing rooms however the emphasis upon the arts suggests that it could have been intended for a specific salon or music room for example.