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Jimmy Carter

Jimmy Carter
Usage Conditions Apply
Artist
Robert Clark Templeton, 11 May 1929 - 16 July 1991
Sitter
James Earl Carter, Jr., born 1 Oct 1924
Date
1980
Type
Painting
Medium
Oil on canvas
Dimensions
Stretcher: 235 × 142.2cm (92 1/2 × 56")
Frame (Verified): 236.2 x 144.8 x 5.7cm (93 x 57 x 2 1/4")
Topic
Printed Material\Book
Home Furnishings\Furniture\Seating\Chair\Armchair
Interior\Office
Artwork\Sculpture\Bust
Home Furnishings\Furniture\Bookcase
Equipment\Drafting & Writing Implements\Writing implement\Pen
Home Furnishings\Furniture\Desk
Artwork\Portrait
Architecture\Fireplace
James Earl Carter, Jr.: Male
James Earl Carter, Jr.: Literature\Writer
James Earl Carter, Jr.: Natural Resource Occupations\Agriculturist\Farmer
James Earl Carter, Jr.: Military and Intelligence\Navy\Officer
James Earl Carter, Jr.: Politics and Government\President of US
James Earl Carter, Jr.: Politics and Government\Governor\Georgia
James Earl Carter, Jr.: Society and Social Change\Administrator\Charity administrator\Charity founder
James Earl Carter, Jr.: Politics and Government\State Senator\Georgia
James Earl Carter, Jr.: Nobel Prize
James Earl Carter, Jr.: Presidential Medal of Freedom
Portrait
Place
United States\District of Columbia\Washington
Credit Line
National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; partial gift of the 1977 Inaugural Committee
Restrictions & Rights
Usage conditions apply
Copyright
© 1991, Leonore Templeton
Object number
NPG.84.154
Exhibition Label
Thirty-ninth president, 1977–1981
When Americans elected Jimmy Carter in 1976, they were voting for a positive change in executive leadership. Burdened by escalating costs of living and tired of recent scandal-ridden politics, they saw Carter as a fresh new face who would make, in his words, government “as good as the American people.” A born-again Christian, Carter touted his human decency to heal the divisions of post-Vietnam American society while also promising to fix the economy. Stemming high inflation, however, proved to be harder than he had predicted. He also could not do much to ease the ongoing energy crisis instigated by the cartel of oil producing nations. In 1978, Carter successfully brokered a landmark peace accord between Egypt and Israel, but the Iranian hostage crisis of 1979, spurred by the U.S. support of the unpopular Shah of Iran, rippled the last year of his administration. He lost a reelection bid to Ronald Reagan in 1980.
In this portrait by Robert Templeton, Carter is shown standing in the oval office, as it was during his tenure. The donkey statuette on his desk was a gift from the Democratic National Committee.
39o presidente, 1977–1981
Cuando los estadounidenses eligieron a Jimmy Carter en 1976, estaban votando por un cambio positive en el liderato ejecutivo. Agobiados por el aumento constante en el costo de la vida y cansados de los escándalos políticos recientes, vieron en Carter una figura diferente que, en sus propias palabras, haría que el gobierno fuera “tan bueno como el pueblo norteamericano”. Carter, un cristiano “nacido de nuevo”, invocaba su sentido de compasión humana para sanar las divisiones de la sociedad estadounidense causadas por la Guerra de Vietnam, a la vez que prometía restaurar la economía. Sin embargo, frenar la inflación resultó más difícil de lo que esperaba. Tampoco pudo hacer mucho para aliviar la crisis energética instigada por el cártel de países productores de petróleo. En 1978, Carter logró facilitar un acuerdo de paz de importancia histórica entre Egipto e Israel, pero la crisis de los rehenes de 1979, desatada por el apoyo de Estados Unidos al impopular shah de Irán, hundió el último año de su gobierno. Carter perdió la reelección frente a Ronald Reagan en 1980.
En este retrato creado por Robert Templeton, Carter aparece de pie en el despacho oval tal como era durante su presidencia. La estatuilla del asno que vemos en su escritorio fue un regalo del Comité Nacional Demócrata.
Provenance
The artist; purchased 1984 NPG
Data Source
National Portrait Gallery
Exhibition
America's Presidents (Reinstallation September 2017)
On View
NPG, West Gallery 210