Piotr Michalowski - 1800-1855 independent, selfless, free

Revered for his extraordinary expression and sensitivity, Michalowski went down in the pantheon of Polish art with his dynamic battle compositions and masterful depictions of horses. His bravura scenes from the Napoleonic wars (most notably the Battle of Somosierra), although painted not from the perspective of a participant, but rather the spiritual heir to the Napoleonic legend, still function today as illustrations of these historical events.
Among the works on display will be those that earned Michałowski a reputation as an attentive portraitist – including insightful portrait studies of villagers, as well as Portrait of a Cardinal (ca. 1846-48) from the collection of the National Museum in Cracow. In addition to oil paintings, the exhibition will also feature the artist’s rarely exhibited drawings and sketches. The sketchbook accompanied Michałowski almost everywhere; he sketched and made notes during his stays in the countryside, during his studies in Krakow and Göttingen, and during his numerous trips around Europe. Comprehensively educated, Michalowski drew inspiration for his paintings not only from the world around him, but also from works collected in Europe’s greatest museums: paintings by Rembrandt, Velázquez, van Dyck or Holbein.
The exhibition is accompanied by a catalog.