Marion Cape Biehn: Preserving La Crosse’s Past through Art

For many in La Crosse, Marion Cape Biehn is remembered not just as an artist but as a witness. With brush in hand and an eye for quiet beauty, Biehn captured the homes, storefronts, and civic buildings that once defined the city’s streetscape, many of which have long since disappeared. Her watercolors and oils serve both as fine works of art and enduring historical records - each one a personal reflection of a place and time.

Born in 1911 in Racine, Wisconsin, Biehn was drawn to art from an early age. “It never occurred to me to do anything else,” she once said. She began private lessons in junior high, pursued every available art class in high school, and enrolled at the University of Wisconsin–Madison to study art. When the university phased out its art major in favor of an art education track, a move with which Biehn strongly disagreed, she transferred to the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts, where she earned her certificate in 1933.

Her early career included illustration work for Marshall Field’s department store in Chicago. After marrying Roy Biehn, she moved frequently across Wisconsin and the Midwest, painting whenever she could while raising their two children, Carolyn and Donald. By the time the family settled in La Crosse in 1955, Biehn had developed a disciplined studio practice and connected with a vibrant community of artists, particularly through the local sketch club. There, fellow artist and friend Art Hebberd encouraged her to explore watercolors, a medium she came to love for its spontaneity, light, and challenge.

“A little bit of me goes into every painting,” Biehn once said, and nowhere is that more evident than in her renderings of La Crosse’s architectural heritage. In 1967, she was commissioned by Thomas Holstein, president of the La Crosse Title Company, to document historic buildings that were at risk of demolition. In the mid-1970s, the State Bank commissioned a three-year series of prints that were given to customers. The series featured iconic local landmarks, including the Cass Street Bridge, Grandad Bluff, the Martindale House, Riverside Park, Hixon House, and many other cherished sites. 

Even as health challenges later in life limited her ability to paint outdoors, Biehn continued creating in her studio, traveling occasionally for inspiration. Her participation in events such as the American Association of University Women’s Art Fair on the Green made her a familiar presence in the area. She remained a warm and candid voice in La Crosse’s arts community, supporting organizations like the La Crosse Society of Arts and Crafts and mentoring local artists.

Marion Cape Biehn passed away in 1992 at age 81; however, her legacy continues to live on. 

Her paintings are now treasured not only for their quality and beauty but also for the memories they preserve and the sense of place they evoke. For longtime residents, they bring back scenes of everyday life, painted with care and a profound sense of place. Through Marion Biehn’s work, we see not just what La Crosse looked like, but how it felt to live there, as a part of the journey of an artist who never ceased to create.