Simon Schama curates the government's art collection - in pictures

David Bomberg's Jerusalem, Interior of the Armenian Church painted in 1925, oil on board Photograph: Courtesy of the Estate of David Bomberg

Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson (1758-1805) by Leonardo Guzzardi, painted in 1799, oil on canvas Photograph: UK Government Art Collection /Crown copyright

Mark Edwards' 2002 Allotments, Ely, Cambridgeshire, colour photograph on aluminium Photograph: Mark Edwards

After Gerrit van Honthorst, Elizabeth, Queen of Bohemia (1596-1662), oil on canvas Photograph: UK Government Art Collection /Crown copyright

Peter's 1 by Hurvin Anderson, 2007, oil on canvas Photograph: Hurvin Anderson

George Gordon Noel Byron, by Thomas Phillips, 1814, oil on canvas
Photograph: UK Government Art Collection /Crown copyright

Edward Lear's 1861 View of Beirut, oil on canvas Photograph: UK Government Art Collection /Crown copyright

Nelson's Ship in a Bottle, 2009, by Yinka Shonibare, plastic, printed cotton textile, cork, acrylic, glass bottle Photograph: Yinka Shonibare

Grayson Perry's Map of an Englishman, an etching on four plates, made in 2004 Photograph: Grayson Perry

Rachel Lowe's video entitled A Letter to an Unknown Person No 3, made in 1998, Betacam videotape, 20 minutes Photograph: Rachel Lowe

Mud on the Nile by Howard Hodgkin, painted in 1993, oil on wood Photograph: Howard Hodgkin

Byzantine Lady, 1912, by Vanessa Bell, oil on canvas Photograph: Courtesy Henrietta Garnett/Estate of Vanessa Bell