Art of espionage: MI6’S paintings revealed

WHEN it comes to the inner workings of MI6, few things are public. But, thanks to a government website, we do know what Britain’s secret intelligence service considers to be high art.

The Government Art Collection has loaned 23 works to the service, to adorn the walls of the building on the Embankment in London. They include a painting of a Tunisian garden by Sir Harry Johnston and a 1944 Edward Bawden watercolour. A painting of Edward IV by an unknown artist dated around 1540 is the oldest work on display. The most recent is an abstract 1999 screenprint by Wilhelmina Barnsgraham. The collection has more than 13,500 works, mainly by British artists. Its role is “to promote British art while contributing to cultural diplomacy” and works are displayed in buildings including No10 and foreign embassies.

The Art Newspaper, which unearthed the list, stated: “Spies are trained to notice everything, so hopefully [they] are more appreciative of their art than the usual Whitehall civil servants.”