In 1852 he experienced his first major success by painting a portrait of General Henryk Dembiński, which won the first prize.

In 1861 he married the love of his youth, Kamila Blühdorn, née von Salzgeber, with whom he had two children.

His great-grandson was Jacek Woźniakowski (1920–2012), art historian, writer and co-founder of publishing house "Znak".

In 1893 he became director and president of the Society of Friends of Fine Arts and chairman of the Committee of the National Museum.

On December 24, 1894, he was nominated for the director of Kraków Academy of Fine Arts, but died unexpectedly four days later.