Franz Edward Rohrbeck (1852–1919), often referred to as Franz E. Rohrbeck, was an American artist, of Milwaukee, known for his murals in courthouses and other government buildings.
He was born in Berlin, Kingdom of Prussia. He graduated from the Berlin Art Academy and emigrated from Germany to the United States in 1885.[1]
He became a muralist at some point, having "worked as a panoramic painter in San Francisco" and having done some painting for the 1893 World Columbian Exposition.
He painted murals in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, and Michigan. He is probably most known for his large mural, "The Spirit and Strength of Wisconsin," at the Wisconsin State Capitol.
Works include:
In at least two cases, it was architect Charles E. Bell who designed the county courthouse. Bell was a prolific architect of courthouses.