Born in Krakow, Poland, he studied at the School of Fine Arts in Krakow, where he was encouraged to go on to Paris, France, at the time, the center for artistic creativity.

In 1910, Kisling moved to Montmartre and a few years later to Montparnasse. At the outbreak of World War I he volunteered for service in the French Foreign Legion, and in 1915 he was seriously wounded in the Battle of the Somme, for which he was awarded French citizenship.

Kisling lived and worked in Montparnasse where he was part of the renowned artistic community gathered there at the time. He became close friends with many of his contemporaries, including his neighbor, Amedeo Modigliani, who painted him in 1916 (today at the Musee d'Art Moderneas). His style used in painting landscapes is similar to that of Marc Chagall, but, a master at depicting the female body, his surreal nudes and portraits earned him the widest acclaim.

The largest collection of Kisling's works can be seen at the Musée du Petit Palais in Geneva, Switzerland. Some of his paintings:

Nu assis (Kiki de Montparnasse) Portrait de Madeleine Lebeau Woman in a Shawl Paysage de Sanary Spanish Woman Jeune femme blonde Femme nue assise Nu allongé Port de Tamaris Portrait de jeune fille brune Buste nu couché Woman in an Interior Moise Kisling died in Sanary-sur-Mer, Var, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France on April 29, 1953.