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 spirit and grandeur of the era's elite. Born in Chur, Switzerland—the eldest son of Simeon Walser Theüs—his early life was marked by Huguenot heritage and familial migration to America in 1735, driven by religious persecution. This journey established him firmly within Charleston’s burgeoning merchant class, where he swiftly ascended to prominence as the city's…