CIRCA 1780

The decoration to the top is based upon the work of George Brookshaw who is renowned for his botanical drawings, but was also established as a cabinet-maker for a short period at the end of the eighteenth century. Opening his workshop on Curzon Street in 1777, he specialized in highly decorative and individual commissions. These often included entirely painted commodes or chimney-pieces with medallions after Angelica Kaufmann or in his own individual style of floral decoration. His clientèle included the Prince of Wales, later George IV, Lord Delaval and the Duke of Beaufort to name a few. After 1794, it appears that Brookshaw concentrated on his career as a botanical illustrator as he is no longer recorded in the directories. His work is discussed in further detail by L. Wood, 'George Brookshaw, The Case of the Vanishing Cabinet-maker: Part I' and 'George Brookshaw, Peintre Ebiniste Extraordinaire: Part II', Apollo Magazine, May and June 1991. This table top relates in particular to that of the pier 'commode-table' at the Lady Lever Art Gallery, attributed to him by Lucy Wood, 'George Brookshaw', Apollo, July 1991, fig. 6.