Victorian Chair Frame Refinishing

The chair is stripped to the frame (uph removed) Ugly dark walnut(I don't think cherry), some small plugs of wood missing and several fitting blems where the wood has been rejoined after breaks. Plugs are not large (1/4 X 1/4 inch).

Considerable detail at top of inside back either carved or molded (not an expert) but includes shaping at arm and front legs. Side rails exposed but generally smooth wood.

At this point, paste remover has been used to remove ugly black varnish, was very difficult. To make wood clean, a more liquid strip and more detailing is needed around small roses.

General question: After further wood cleaning, wood filling the blems, would it be recommended to coat chair with sanding sealer, then stain in spray lacquer, and use a clear protection coat of Deft spray lacquer?

Objective is make the chair look nice, not like a rehoned chair, but reasonably smooth and natural as possible in appearance without the man created artifacts showing (i.e. correct for small missing chunks and hairline effects due to previous regluing of the broken frame, using a walnut wood filler). On wood filler, I haven't found a filler in dark walnut-- only medium). After the paste remover was used I used fine steel to coninue cleaning frame. At this point, it appears a liquid stripper would walsh a little more of the ugly old varnish out of small crevices. Might try this to speed the process.