Updated October 2026 · ranked by our popularity score (searches, visits and orders for each work) · 53 works by Evert Collier in our catalogue
In short
To the gallery's eye, Evert Collier's most famous painting is Edward Collier (1683). Still Life with a Volume of Wither's 'Emblemes' (1696) and Vanitas Still-Life (10) (1697) complete the trio every eye recognises. Of the 53 works by Evert Collier in our catalog, the gallery presents the 46 most famous below, each original with its year, its museum and what makes it unique.
The oil on canvas titled Edward Collier is a work by Evert Collier. This specific piece is dated 1683. It measures 44 x 53 cm. The surface holds a quiet stillness, a captured moment of a man in a red robe.
Still Life with a Volume of Wither's 'Emblemes' is an oil on canvas painting executed by Evert Collier in 1696. The work originated during the artist's period of activity in England, following his arrival from the Netherlands in 1693. Collier, born in Breda, Netherlands, spent his final years in London, where he died in 1708.
Vanitas Still-Life (10) is an oil on canvas work by Evert Collier, executed in 1697. The artist, born in Breda, Netherlands, in 1642, was a prominent figure of the Dutch Golden Age. Collier lived until 1708, leaving behind a body of work defined by the meticulous observation of material objects and their symbolic weight.
The scene unfolds through Vanitas still life with an upturned lute, a globe turned to the Pacific Ocean, an open copy of Rider Cardanus' The British Merlin , and an engraving of Caesar Octavianus Augustus. This composition emerges from the hand of Evert Collier, an artist born in Breda. The objects rest in a quiet, heavy atmosphere, as if caught in a moment of profound stillness. Every item, from the…
This work, titled Vanitas Still Life, was executed by Evert Collier in 1662. It is an oil on wood painting that measures 94 x 112 cm. The piece belongs to the Dutch Golden Age, a period when Collier began establishing his reputation for meticulous detail and symbolic depth.
A Vanitas Still Life is an oil on canvas work by Evert Collier. Executed about 1675, the painting belongs to the Dutch Golden Age. The artist, born in Breda, Netherlands, in 1642, utilized the vanitas genre to contemplate the transience of earthly existence through a dense arrangement of symbolic objects.
Trompe l'oeil still-life of a letter rack is an oil on canvas work by Evert Collier, dated 1684. The artist, born in Breda, Netherlands, in 1642, was a prominent figure of the Dutch Golden Age. Collier lived until 1708.
The scene unfolds within Vanitas Still Life with a Statuette of an Antique Athlete and a Print of Michelangelo, a work that invites a quiet contemplation of existence. Evert Collier presents this still life as a meditation on the fleeting nature of life and the weight of human achievement. Every object rests upon a red velvet tablecloth, waiting for the viewer to notice the subtle interplay of shadow and light.…
Trompe L’oeil still life of an engraving with a portrait of Desiderius Erasmus (1466-1536) affixed to a wooden panel1694
12
A trompe l'oeil of a letter rack with a print, a quill, sealing wax and a knife1706
13
Still Life: The Smell1701 · Museum of Fine Arts
14
Still life with books, globe, musical instruments and a print on a table1700
15
Vanitas Still Life1675 · Mauritshuis
16
Vanitas still life with a candlestick, books, musical instruments, an astrological globe, a pocket watch, and an hourglass all on a draped table
17
Vanitas still life with coins and other objects on a table1661 · Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco
18
Vanitas still life with a globe, a violin and bow, lemon peel, a recorder, a musical score, an open book, an hour glass and other objects
19
Vanitas1661 · Finnish National Gallery
20
Vanitas still life with a globe, books, and a box of jewels all resting on a draped table1650
21
Still life with roemer, oysters, bread and shrimp1661
22
Still life with white jug with playing cards, smoker's requisites and passglass1650
23
Vanitas still life with books, musical instruments, and a pair of globes1664 · Museum de Lakenhal
24
Vanitas still life1662 · Rijksmuseum
25
Toebackje, still life of smoking utensils1664 · Wallraf-Richartz-Museum
26
Vanitas Still-Life (12)1665
27
Self-Portrait with a Vanitas Still- Life1684 · Honolulu Museum of Art
28
Vanitas Still Life with a Crowned Skull1689
29
A Letter Rack1695 · Yale Center for British Art
30
Vanitas Still-Life (14)1697
31
A Trompe l'oeil of Newspapers, Letters and Writing Implements on a Wooden Board1699
32
Vanitas Still-Life (13)1705
33
Trompe l'oeil, Letter Rack1700
34
Vanitas still life with a candlestick
35
Still Life1699
36
A vanitas still life with celestial and terrestial globes, a pair of dividers, a sextant, an inkwell with a quill and a candle, and a copy of A mathematical compendium, or, Useful practices in arithmetick, geometry, and astronomy, geography and navig....
37
A Vanitas Still LifeAuckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki
38
A vanitasDenver Art Museum
39
Letter rackArt Gallery of South Australia
40
Vanitas - Still Life with Books and Manuscripts and a SkullNational Museum of Western Art
41
Trompe l'oeil with Writing MaterialsVictoria and Albert Museum
42
A vanitas still life with a candlestick, a skull, a shell, bubbles, a watch, a portrait of Charles I, and other objects on a draped table
43
Still lifeIndianapolis Museum of Art
44
A Trompe L'Oeil Still Life with letters, a magazine, a notebook, a magnifying glass, scissors, a quill, a letter opener and a tortoise shell comb
45
A vanitas still life with books and leaflets, a globe, a princely flag, a musical score, musical instruments and an hourglass on a draped table with a silver tazza, coins, a watch and a purse
46
A vanitas still life with a violin, a recorder and a score of music on a marble table top
The four subjects that come back most often in these originals, each with its finest example.
#16 Vanitas still life with a candlestick, books, musical instruments, an astrological globe, a pocket watch, and an hourglass all on a draped table
#18 Vanitas still life with a globe, a violin and bow, lemon peel, a recorder, a musical score, an open book, an hour glass and other objects
#26 Vanitas Still-Life (12)
#27 Self-Portrait with a Vanitas Still- Life
The 8 museums that hold the most of the paintings on this page.
| Museum | City | Works by Evert Collier | Paintings from this list |
|---|---|---|---|
 Denver Art Museum |
Denver | 2 | Charles I, A vanitas |
 Metropolitan Museum of Art |
New York | 1 | Vanitas Still Life |
 Szépművészeti Múzeum |
Budapest | 1 | A Vanitas Still Life |
 Museum der bildenden Künste |
Leipzig | 1 | Vanitas with Books, Instruments, and an Astronomical Globe on a table |
 Museum of Fine Arts |
Houston | 1 | Still Life: The Smell |
 Mauritshuis |
The Hague | 1 | Vanitas Still Life |
 Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco |
San Francisco | 1 | Vanitas still life with coins and other objects on a table |
 Finnish National Gallery |
Helsinki | 1 | Vanitas |
Pick a decade to see the original that defines it.
The scene unfolds through Vanitas still life with an upturned lute, a globe turned to the Pacific Ocean, an open copy of Rider Cardanus' The British Merlin , and an engraving of Caesar Octavianus Augustus. This composition emerges from the hand of Evert Collier, an artist born in Breda. The objects rest in a quiet, heavy atmosphere, as if caught in a moment of profound stillness. Every item, from the…
This work, titled Vanitas Still Life, was executed by Evert Collier in 1662. It is an oil on wood painting that measures 94 x 112 cm. The piece belongs to the Dutch Golden Age, a period when Collier began establishing his reputation for meticulous detail and symbolic depth.
A Vanitas Still Life is an oil on canvas work by Evert Collier. Executed about 1675, the painting belongs to the Dutch Golden Age. The artist, born in Breda, Netherlands, in 1642, utilized the vanitas genre to contemplate the transience of earthly existence through a dense arrangement of symbolic objects.
The oil on canvas titled Edward Collier is a work by Evert Collier. This specific piece is dated 1683. It measures 44 x 53 cm. The surface holds a quiet stillness, a captured moment of a man in a red robe.
Still Life with a Volume of Wither's 'Emblemes' is an oil on canvas painting executed by Evert Collier in 1696. The work originated during the artist's period of activity in England, following his arrival from the Netherlands in 1693. Collier, born in Breda, Netherlands, spent his final years in London, where he died in 1708.
Edward Collier (1683). Still Life with a Volume of Wither's 'Emblemes' (1696) and Vanitas Still-Life (10) (1697) come next.
41 years old: Edward Collier dates from 1683, and Evert Collier was born in 1642.
Edward Collier, Still Life with a Volume of Wither's 'Emblemes', Vanitas Still-Life (10), Vanitas still life with an upturned lute, a globe turned to the Pacific Ocean, an open copy of Rider Cardanus' The British Merlin , and an engraving of Caesar Octavianus Augustus, Vanitas Still Life, A Vanitas Still Life, Trompe l'oeil still-life of a letter rack, Vanitas Still Life with a Statuette of an Antique Athlete and a Print of Michelangelo, Vanitas with Books, Instruments, and an Astronomical Globe on a table and Charles I. The ranking above gives each one's year and museum.
Our catalog holds 53 works by Evert Collier, dated from 1650 to 1706.
Mostly in Denver Art Museum (Denver), Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York) and Szépművészeti Múzeum (Budapest). The museum table above lists them all.
In 1660s: 8 of the 46 works on this page were made then, Vanitas Still Life among them.
On this page, the earliest is Vanitas still life with a globe, books, and a box of jewels all resting on a draped table (1650) and the latest A trompe l'oeil of a letter rack with a print, a quill, sealing wax and a knife (1706).
Life (13), Books (7) and Skull (5), across the 46 works on this page.
Oil On Canvas, for 6 of the 46 works on this page.
Baroque, judging by the originals on this page.
Charles I and A vanitas: the Denver Art Museum, Denver holds 2 of the works on this page.
Evert Collier, born circa 1642 in Breda, Noord-Brabant, emerged as a prominent figure within the Dutch Golden Age artistic landscape—a period characterized by unparalleled innovation and opulent patronage. His early training in Haarlem under Vincent Laurensz van der Vinne instilled foundational principles of observation and draughtsmanship, shaping his distinctive approach to still life painting.
Collier distinguished himself from many of his contemporaries through his masterful execution of trompe-l'œil—a technique designed to deceive the eye by creating illusions of depth and dimensionality on a flat surface. Unlike conventional realism, trompe-l'œil prioritized visual trickery over accurate representation, transforming ordinary objects into captivating spectacles.
Collier’s still lifes transcended mere depiction; they functioned as meditations on mortality—a central preoccupation within the vanitas genre prevalent during his era. Each element meticulously chosen conveyed a profound message about decay, remembrance, and the inevitability of death.
Collier’s artistic legacy extends beyond his individual oeuvre—he exerted considerable influence on subsequent generations of Dutch painters, particularly those exploring the trompe-l'œil technique. His works are housed in prominent museums worldwide, including the Rijksmuseum (Amsterdam), Tate London, Denver Art Museum and Honolulu Museum of Art, ensuring that his visionary artistry continues to inspire admiration and scholarly inquiry.
Sources: Bryan’s Dictionary of Painters and Engravers; Netherlands Institute for Art History; Biographical Notices from Various Art Historical Databases
