Jeremiah Theus (1716–1774): Charleston’s Master Portraitist Jeremiah Theus, born April 5, 1716, in Chur, Switzerland—the eldest child of Simeon and Anna Walser Theüs—stands as a pivotal figure in the artistic landscape of colonial America. His legacy resides primarily within Charleston, South Carolina, where he established himself as the dominant portrait painter for nearly three decades, shaping the visual culture of the burgeoning c…