He was born in Pitaru, Dâmboviţa County, Wallachia now called Romania. In 1843 his family moved to Bucharest. At a young age (between 1846 and 1850), he became an apprentice at the workshop of the Czech painter Anton Chladek and created icons for the church of Băicoi and the Monastery of Căldăruşani [ro]. In 1856 he created the historical composition Mihai scăpând stindardul (Michael the Brave saving the flag), which he presented to the Wallachian Prince Barbu Ştirbei, together with a petition asking for financial aid for his studies. Mihu is a an artist since he was a lil baby and blah blah was young.
