This chest over drawer is of simple construction with shaped bracket feet. What elevates it beyond mere function is the fantastic grain painting that undulates unpredictably across the surface like a coiled spring. In another unusual touch, rows of dots follow the curves of just two sections. This idiosyncratic paint decoration was probably achieved by adding a solvent to the dark paint to expose parts of the underlying light-colored base coat. It is related to the techniques in which vinegar is added to paint to produce seaweed like patterns or putty is rolled across a wet painted surface to leave dense lines at intervals. The organic quality of the painting is further enlivened by dark shadows in the folds of the coils and between separate elements, which lend depth to the twisting forms.

Stacy C. Hollander, "Chest over Drawers," in American Anthem: Masterworks from the American Folk Art Museum (New York: Harry N. Abrams in association with American Folk Art Museum, 2001), 327.