Walter Christian Thee Jr.

Christian Thee, Jr., 92, passed away peacefully on October 16, 2026. He was born on September 27, 1934, to the late Colonel Walter C. Thee and Edith Steinmetz Thee. He was predeceased by his parents and Bruce Bahr. He is survived by his niece Mardi Graham Smith, her husband Chip Smith, and their son, Jay Graham as well as his in laws, Julie and Tom Mastronardi of Italy.

He was a graduate of Dreher High School and the University of South Carolina.

A consummate theater artist, Christian spent time acting at Town Theatre. Later he moved to New York City where he studied set design under Lester Polakov who was Thee’s mentor and greatest inspiration.

Following in Polakov’s footsteps, Thee gained a stellar reputation in New York, designing sets from Broadway to London and creating innovative tromp l’oeil pieces for stars of stage, screen, and society. He worked with Barbara Streisand, Joan Rivers and even a pre-political Donald Trump.

One of his greatest accomplishments was to create a life-sized portrait of Prince Andrew for his 21st. birthday. Thee attended the birthday party at Windsor Castle to personally present the portrait.

His art is displayed in St. Peters Basilica’s sanctuary in Columbia. His creation, from the floor to the ceiling, included a magnificent dome. The Stations of the Cross were hand applied with gold leaf.

At Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, two of his Medieval Trump L’oeil tapestries are displayed in the Keenan Chapel. They depict The Garden of Eden and Jesus Christ’s empty Tomb on Easter.

When Cynthia Gilliam called him back to South Carolina to help with a Workshop Theatre production, he didn’t hesitate to come home.

Christian had a loving relationship with his long-time partner, Bruce Bahr who died in 2011. Their relationship was cemented by having similar tastes in art, music, and literature. They created a home with many of his tromp l’oeil designs-- a magical world of illusions and wonder with surprises and tricks around every corner. Tabletops are painted with items that look so real you could pick them up. A faux bird’s nest sits atop a high ledge. A tiger peeks from behind what appears to be a half open door. And the dining room is festooned with faux draperies with a misty tropical scene beyond.

Christian was motivated to give back to his newfound Columbia community. He and Bahr rose to the call of friends and neighbors by hosting fundraisers, meetups, and tours in his brilliantly entertaining home. Many will remember his dark cabaret parties where artists and friends gathered to promote the theater arts.

Christian fulfilled the true function of an artist. By engaging our emotions, he gave us a new way of seeing the world. His art, both personal and universal, cast a light that will never be extinguished or never unseen.

He will be missed by his many admirers in the art world, as well as his loving family and close friends.

A glorious celebration of Christian Thee’s life and accomplishments will be held at Trinity Cathedral on November 16 at 2:00 PM.

An article highlighting the life of Mr. Christian Thee is below.

https://jasperproject.org/jasper-magazine-online/48hff2y2azybjmegf6rbyxzpem42je