Untitled (view of East Sutton Park, Staplehurst, Filmer family seat with painted family crest and motto) 1862 - 1888

Editor: This is an intriguing page from an album, featuring a photograph of East Sutton Park, the Filmer family seat. It's embellished with a hand-painted crest and motto. What strikes me is how personal and almost diaristic it feels. What do you make of this unusual piece? Curator: It’s like stepping into someone's memory, isn't it? The photograph itself is quite standard, but the hand-painted additions, those flourishes of family pride, transform it. The Filmer family's motto, "Res non verba," meaning "Deeds not words", suggests a family that values action over mere pronouncements. I wonder if they succeeded! Editor: That’s fascinating. It really does bring the image to life. Thanks for sharing your insight! Curator: My pleasure. It's a nice reminder that art can be both grand and intimately personal.