Is art considered an asset that can be used to pay a deceased person's debt in the probate period?

Yes, art is an asset that, if it belonged to a deceased person, can be used to pay his debts. If the art is of little value, creditors might not pursue it, but the correct legal answer is that ANY asset belonging to the estate can, and if necessary, should be used to pay debts. If your father was a Georgia resident, and he had a surviving spouse or surviving minor child, then the spouse or child may be able to make a year's support claim and step in front of the creditors. Otherwise, creditors are supposed to get paid before the beneficiaries do.