Asper, Hans

ASPER. HANS (1400-1571), Swiss painter, was born and died at Zurich. He wrought in a great variety of styles, but excelled chiefly in flower and fruit pieces, and in portrait-painting. Many of his pictures have perished, but his style may be judged from the illustrations to Gcssncr's Historic A ninulium, for which he is said to have furnished the designs, and from portraits of Zwingli and his daughter Rcgula Gwalter, which are preserved in the public library of Zurich. It has been usual to class Asper among the pupils and imitators of Holbein, but an inspection of his works is sufficient to show that this is a mistake. Though Asper was held in high reputation by his fellow-citizens, who elected him a member of the Great Council, and had a medal struck in his honour, he seems to have died in poverty.