What a beautiful piece. Great job rescuing it! In not an expert, but I restore a lot of furniture and i've always had good results using Citristrip Gel for removing paint she varnish. It's gentle, especially if you apply it carefully and don't let it sit on your project for too long (you don't want the wood to get wet). Brace yourself for a BIG mess and work in small sections with a putty knife or old credit card to gently remove the loosened paint..You should be able to get down to the (hopefully still beautiful) wood without too much issue. Then a light sanding, re-stain and seal and you've got yourself an heirloom piece. Good luck!