Painter, main representative of Romanticism in Polish painting, outstanding colourist.
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In 1832-35 he studied in N. T. Charlet's studio in Paris and learning from the works painted by Spanish, Dutch and Flemish painters which were on exposition in museums.
Michałowski is Poland's most outstanding Romantic painter. He painted episodes from the November Uprising, and portrayed Napoleon, commanders-in-chief, and knights. The colourful uniforms of his contemporary soldiers also attracted his attention. The numerous trips he made were reflected in his paintings portraying stage-coaches, mail-coaches and scenes from roadside smithies One of his favourite motifs in painting were horses. P. Michałowski was also an excellent portrait-painter who produced impressive portraits characterised by psychological truth in the presenting of simple people: old beggars and campaigners, country men, farm-hands, country women, country youth and Jews.