Jeremiah Theus: Charleston’s Quintessential Portraitist Jeremiah Theus (1716 – 1774) stands as a singular figure in the artistic landscape of colonial South Carolina, recognized primarily for his masterful portraits that captured the essence of aristocratic society during the Enlightenment. Born in Chur, Switzerland—the eldest child of Simeon and Anna Walser Theüs—his early life remains shrouded in relative obscurity, yet his emigration to Charleston in 1735 marked a pivotal moment shaping his career and legacy. Driven by religious fervor and propelled by land grants offered by the South Car…