The White Horse: How a Childhood Vision Became the Symbol of Antonina Poppy

From childhood, Antonina, the Founder of Antonina Poppy, was surrounded by a recurring motif of horses. These were not just any images but paintings by Piotr Michałowski, one of Antonina's ancestors. Michałowski was a Polish painter of the Romantic period, particularly renowned for his many portraits and oil studies of horses.

Study of horse's head, Piotr Michałowski, 1846

Amazon, Piotr Michałowski, 1853-1855

He was celebrated for his masterful use of watercolours, creating works so extraordinary that they were exhibited in prestigious places, including the Louvre in Paris. Through his art, Michałowski transported these horses into a realm of imagination, where they could become anything he envisioned, capturing the extraordinary dynamism of movement in both people and animals depicted on his canvases.

Stable Boy Holding the Horse by the Bridle, Piotr Michalowski,  1842-1845

Over the years, Michałowski’s work evolved, growing ever more metaphorical, without losing his meticulous attention to detail. His portrayals of horses were imbued with a sense of romanticism, making them seem almost otherworldly. His paintings often featured a free-flowing drawing style and lightness of composition. Michałowski frequently used watercolours, painting horses in lavender hues and soft blues.

French stagecoach, Piotr Michałowski, 1835

 To Antonina, these horses appeared less like ordinary animals and more like mythical creatures. She always imagined them with wings, and thus, the image of mystical horse was born in her mind. An animal representing today the Antonina Poppy became a symbol of freedom, elegance, and unbridled imagination, inspired by Michałowski’s vision, reflects the spirit of this mythical winged horse, embodying the values of creativity, grace, and limitless possibility. 

For the cover of “The White Horse: How a Childhood Vision Became the Symbol of Antonina Poppy” we used the artwork of Rosie Harbottle.