Hon. John Collier (1850-1934) was born in London, the second son of (Judge) Sir Robert Collier (later 1st Lord Monkswell). He enjoyed an aristocratic upbringing, was educated at Heidelberg, studied art under Poynter at the Slade School, with J. P. Laurens in Paris, and also in Munich. He was further encouraged by Alma Tadema and Millais. He became a popular painter of portraits to the upper classes and specialised in dramatic subject paintings and occasional landscapes
