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Hello,
I thought we could begin this episode with an excellent email we received in the newscast inbox,
which you can contribute to via newscast at BBC.co.uk.
We read everyone about our episode that we recorded in the cabinet office briefing room with Pat McFadden,
which we put in the feed on Tuesday and you'll remember Chris Mason and I referring to the artwork and I was actually quite surprised there was any artwork at all.
Anyway we then got an email from Gabriella who works at the Government Art Collection she says and I'm going to read her email almost in full
because it's so good.
Chris Mason described the Government Art Collection as quote where loads of pictures are in a cellar somewhere.
The Government Art Collection is actually a lively and active collection of more than 15,000 artworks that promote British art,
culture and history in the UK and abroad.
We're the most dispersed collection of British art in the world.
Our collection is based on the ground floor of the old Admiralty building.
And then Gabriella goes on.
Chris also described the Government Art Collection in the Cabinet Office briefing room as quote,
brightly coloured images of tulips or roses.
I actually wrote the wall texts for these artworks and they were selected based on the historical symbolism of flowers.
Flowers started to appear in Dutch still life painting in the 16th century as a way to remind viewers of the fragility of life as well as worldly pleasures and goods.
These prompts are particularly important considering the magnitude of decisions being made in the cabinet office briefing rooms.
So, Gabriela,