His work can be related to expressionism, although as highlighted by Giovanni Testori, these categories which are convenient in art history are often too narrow to characterize painters like Mintchine.

He began painting from the age of 16 and studied at the Kyiv Art School (together with Josyf Weissblatt, Olexandr Tyshler) and at Olexandra Exter.

In 1929, the art dealer René Gimpel identified Mintchine as a "genius" painter and start buying all his paintings.

His artwork is less tormented than Soutine's, conveying passion through great poetry (often with the addition of mystical elements[2]).

Suffering from tuberculosis, he died at only 33 of a brain aneurysm (or possibly heart attack) while painting The Hill with Red Flowers.