Piotr MICHAŁOWSKI, The Blue Hussar

Blue Hussar, (ca. 1836-1850) oil, canvas, 63.5 x 48.5 cm. On the back of the canvas glued card with a pen inscription: "exhib. retrosp. komitet krakowski / decl. (...) No. 367 / Piotr Michałowski / Huzar austryjacki pędzący na siwym koniu / oil painting on canvas / owned by Adam Łempicki, Krzysztoforzyce, p. Kocmyrzów". Opinion about the painting by Mrs. A. Zenczak from the MN in Cracow: "This painting is certainly identical to the one mentioned by Jan Bołoz Antoniewicz in the catalog of the mentioned exhibition (the same, illustrated catalog of the exhibition of Polish art from 1764-1886, Lviv, item 779) titled: "The painting of the Hussar on a gray horse in a gallop". An Austrian hussar on a gray horse at a gallop".

He came from a well-to-do noble family; his father was politically involved. He initially studied science and natural sciences, as well as classical and oriental philology. He was interested in the so-called historical school in legal theory, which he learned while studying in Göttingen. Even as a teenager, in 1816-18, he took drawing lessons from M. Stachowicz, J. Brodowski, F. Lampi. In the 1920s his work was amateur in nature, he practiced making military scenes, harnesses, caricatures. Living in Paris in the 1830s, he took painting lessons from the illustrious students of Theodore Gericault. in 1833, he settled in his own studio, perfecting his technical skills, studying the works of the masters in the Louvre. He sold numerous works through art dealers in France, Germany and England. After the death of his father, he returned to Poland, but constantly visited foreign galleries. He achieved the greatest proficiency in depicting horse portraits. He painted motifs from the Napoleonic campaign, battle scenes, genre scenes, landscapes, animals. His paintings are in museum collections in Poland and abroad.