Jacques Chapiro was the son of a wood carver. He began his artistic education at the age of ten. He attended the School of Fine Arts in Kharkov in 1915 and then in Kiev in 1918. During the civil war, while he was continuing his studies, he designed revolutionary posters and carried out small jobs. In 1921, he studied at the Petrograd School of Fine Arts. During this time, he worked as a set designer assistant for Constructivist theater director Meyerhold. He later worked for directors Stanislavsky and Wachtangov.

In 1925, Chapiro left Russia for Paris and lived at La Ruche for the following five years. In 1939, he found refuge in Carpentras in Provence and Serres in the Hautes Alpes.

After the war, he visited Italy before returning to Paris, where he wrote an anecdotal story on the daily life of the artists living at La Ruche. In 1967, he opposed the demolition project of La Ruche. Alongside Chagall and Raymond Cogniat, he set up a protection committee, which eventually won its campaign.