Long regarded as a novelist of rural life, Myśliwski was widely praised for exploring existential and metaphysical themes in his work.
Essayist and translator Adam Pomorski told Poland’s PAP news agency that Myśliwski’s death "closes a vast chapter in the history of Polish culture."
Pomorski said Myśliwski was mindful of the continuity of Polish literature, tracing it back to Renaissance poet Jan Kochanowski, whom he regarded as an unmatched master. He added that the core message of Myśliwski’s work was deeply existential.
Myśliwski’s novels have been translated into more than 20 languages.
His final book, Needle’s Eye (Ucho igielne), was published in the United States last year by Archipelago Books in a translation by Bill Johnston.
The publisher described it as "a gripping novel that asks fundamental questions about human existence" from "one of the leading voices of contemporary Polish literature."
His other works available in English include The Palace, Stone Upon Stone and A Treatise on Shelling Beans.
Myśliwski was a two-time recipient of the Nike Literary Award, Poland’s top literary honour.
His distinctions also included the Gold Gloria Artis Medal for Cultural Merit and honorary doctorates from several universities.
Last year, he was named an honorary citizen of Warsaw.
(mk/gs)