Evert Collier, also known by various spellings of his name such as "Edward", "Edwaert", "Eduwaert" or "Edwart" and whose surname is sometimes listed as "Colyer" or "Kollier", was a highly respected Golden Age still life painter from the Netherlands. Born in Breda on January 26, 1642, and dying in London around September 8, 1708, he made his name primarily for his vanitas still lifes and trompe l'oeil paintings. Collier's life in art began in the city of Haarlem, where he was born in Noord-Brabant and had his first experience with painting. The early works he created clearly showed the influence of Vincent Laurensz van der Vinne and his son, who were members of the Guild of St. Luke in Haarlem. In 1664 Collier was admitted to the same guild, indicating that Van der Vinne was probably his teacher.

In 1667 Collier moved to Leiden, where he became a member of the St. Luke's Guild there in 1673. His emerging success and reputation as an artist took him to Amsterdam in 1686 and London in 1693. Between the years 1702 and 1706, he probably returned to Leiden, as is evident from his works signed and dated during those years. Eventually, however, he settled back in London, where he died around September 8, 1708, and was buried in St James's Church, Piccadilly.

His artistic legacy can be found today in numerous prestigious public collections, including the Denver Art Museum, the Honolulu Museum of Art, the Indianapolis Museum of Art, the National Portrait Gallery in the United Kingdom, the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, and the Tate Gallery in London. During his lifetime, Collier was married four times. His first marriage was to Maria Franchoys, widow of Joost van Tongeren, on November 6, 1670. This was followed by marriages to Maria Pypen on May 1, 1674, Cornelia Tieleman on October 29, 1677, and finally to Anna du Bois on October 26, 1681. Each of these women brought their own story and experience to the life of this remarkable artist who created unforgettable masterpieces of still life painting.