Painter, printmaker, and illustrator Andre Agricol Michel was born in Paris, France on October 6, 1900. He studied at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts under Emile Renard, though his time in school was briefly interrupted by compulsary military service from 1920 to 1922. He began exhibiting at the Salon d'Automne in 1935, where was also a member from 1941 to 1950, and then at the Salon des Tuileries in 1938 in both group and solo shows. In 1937 the Andre Maurice galleries began to represent his work. 

In the 1940s he took up a position as a set designer for the Paris Opera where he forged a working relationship with choreographer Serge Lifar. He would also create sketches and prints for publishing of these performances, and in 1951 he was awarded the Cercle Carpeaux grant for his work in the theater. He illustrated Leandre Vaillat's book La Danse a l'Opera de Paris with color lithographs and in 1954 he directed the set designs of a dance exhibition that took place in the Andre Maurice gallery. 

Michel co-founded a group of five painters in association with the Durand-Ruel Gallery, called "Life and Color: Five Painters," which included Rene Cottet, Robert Francolin, Henri Lanos, Pierre Le Mare, and Maurice Mourlot, and with whom he exhibited until 1967. In addition to fine art, Michel was a prolific illustrator, creating works for a variety of publishers as well as publishing his own books of illustrations.

He died suddenly in Paris on March 25, 1972. 

Exhibitions: Bon Marche Gallery, 1930; Salon d'Automne, 1935 - 1945; Prix des Vikings, Galerie de Paris (2nd place medal), 1937; Salon of the National Society of Fine Arts, 1938; Salson des Tuileries, 1938; Galerie Notre Dame des Champs (solo show), 1942; collective exhibition, Galerie de Berri, 1945; Galerie Michalon (solo show), 1948; Andre Maurice Gallery, dance-themed exhibitions, 1952 and 1954; Romanet Gallery, 1960; "Life and Color: Five Painters" gourp exhibitions, 1963, 1965, 1967.

Awards: Prix des Vikings, Galerie de Paris (2nd place medal), 1937; Bernheim-Jeune Prize, 1946 

Michel's work is held in several public collections throughout France.