michel studied at the minsk commercial school in the drawing school of yakov kruger, where he met chaim soutine, and together with him in 1908 he entered the people's art school in vilnius. in 1912 he moved to paris, settled in the legendary artists' commune of uli, entered the paris national higher school of fine arts and a couple of years later began to take part in exhibitions of the autumn salon and the salon of independents. during the first world war he volunteered for the front, in 1919 his first solo exhibition took place, art connoisseurs began to talk enthusiastically about the artist, collectors bought up his paintings and drawings. in the early twenties, kikoine traveled to the south of france. the works of this period are filled with light, are distinguished by the confidence of the drawing, simple lines and plans. the influence of soutine became noticeable, mobile mosquitoes. deforming space and unusual landscapes with falling houses and trees. the artist became a recognized representative of the paris school. in 1927 , the artist left uli and after some time settled in the studio