Paintings by U.S. President Jimmy Carter Are Heading to Auction

Jimmy Carter Paintings Heading to Auction

Jimmy Carter, “The Hornet’s Nest,” 2003. (Photo: Courtesy of Christie’s)

When Jimmy Carter died on December 29, 2024, at the age of 100, he left behind quite the legacy as the 39th president of the United States. But he also left behind something else: a cache of paintings. Now, several of these artworks are heading to Christie’s New York, which is hosting a major auction in celebration of the nation’s 250th anniversary this year.

Carter first gravitated toward painting in the 1980s following his presidential term, although he’d also dabbled with the medium during his time in the U.S. Navy. For the former president, art offered a “rare opportunity for privacy” in an otherwise public life. “These times of solitude are like being in another very pleasant world,” he remarked in an interview with the Associated Press.

The Christie’s auction gathers a selection of these compositions, including scenes of the Georgia church where he was baptized, a still-life of pomegranate, and a waterfall landscape, each of which are estimated to sell for less than $10,000. The Hornet’s Nest, from 2003, is expected to snag between $8,000 and $12,000, and depicts a troop of American soldiers taking aim at British forces during the Revolutionary War.

Aside from his paintings, the auction encompasses other personal items from Carter and his wife Rosalynn’s personal collection, curated in close collaboration with their daughter, Amy Carter. Lots range from campaign memorabilia and peanut-print scarves, to an assortment of ties and a handwritten birthday note from Jimmy to Rosalynn scribbled on White House stationary.

Perhaps the most impressive object is a hand-crafted coffee table built by Carter himself, for which he repurposed pine lumber from a horse trough. A portion of the proceeds from the auction will benefit the Carter Family Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to enriching the Carter family’s legacy, with a special emphasis upon rural Georgia.

“[Amy] was very involved with showing us and kind of storytelling along the way, which gave a lot more context and color to how these objects were lived with,” Julia Jones, associate specialist at Christie’s, told People last month. “Because of that, we can really see this personal narrative that showcases Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter as people, not just as president and first lady.”

Amy echoed the sentiment: “It is a pleasure to share this glimpse into my parents’ world. I hope these objects paint a fuller picture of them—their lives of service, their devotion to each other, and the joy and curiosity that kept them learning and engaged throughout their lives.”

The Christie’s auction, dubbed the American Collector sale, offers additional slices of Americana as well, celebrating the country’s rich cultural heritage and creative spirit. Traditional folk art, furniture, silver, rare books and manuscripts, and property pulled from John D. Rockefeller III’s family collection all make an appearance, alongside a rare broadside edition of the Declaration of Independence printed in July 1776.

Other highlights of the auction include one of 27 known copies of a version of the Emancipation Proclamation signed by Abraham Lincoln; president James Madison’s portrait of George Washington by Gilbert Stuart; the only preparatory drawing for Grant Wood’s iconic American Gothic; and a printed copy with handwritten edits of the second draft of the Constitution, belonging to founding father Rufus King.

“America’s multifaceted history, spirit, and cultures can be found in the incredible, storied objects that Christie’s New York is sharing with the public to celebrate the 250th birthday of the United States,” Marc Porter, chairman of Christie’s Americas, says. “This rich, diverse group of objects…showcases the many overlapping histories and perspectives of our nation.”

The American Collector sale will take place online and at New York’s Rockefeller Center from January 13–18, 2026. To learn more, visit the Christie’s website.

Paintings by former U.S. president Jimmy Carter (and other personal items) are heading to auction at Christie’s in celebration of the nation’s 250th anniversary.

Jimmy Carter’s birthday letter to his wife, Rosalynn, written on White House stationary. (Photo: Courtesy of Christie’s)

Jimmy Carter’s official presidential portrait, 1977. (Photo: Department of Defense / Department of the Navy / Naval Photographic Center, Public domain)