Mikhail Kozell was born on October 20, 1911 in Astrakhan. In 1939 he graduated from the Institute of Fine Arts named after I.E. Repin, the workshop of Isaak Brodsky. He was engaged in Mikhail Bernshteyn, Arkady Rylov, Alexander Lyubimov, Vladimir Serov. He has participated in exhibitions since 1949. Member of Leningrad Union of Artists since 1962. Master of landscape painting. Over forty years (1948-1991) he taught at the School of Art (now the Art Lyceum named after B. V. Ioganson). Personal exhibition in Leningrad (1991). Mikhail Kozella's works are in museums and private collections in Russia, Japan, France, Britain, the USA and other countries.