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Amish: The Art of the Quilt
Presents eighty-two Amish masterpiece quilts from the Esprit Collection, with historical and interpretive commentaries
207 pages, Hardcover
First published September 29, 1990
32 people want to read
About the author
Robert Hughes
183 books325 followersRobert Studley Forrest Hughes, AO was an Australian art critic, writer and television documentary maker who has resided in New York since 1970. He was educated at St Ignatius' College, Riverview before going on to study arts and then architecture at the University of Sydney. At university, Hughes associated with the Sydney "Push" – a group of artists, writers, intellectuals and drinkers. Among the group were Germaine Greer and Clive James. Hughes, an aspiring artist and poet, abandoned his university endeavours to become first a cartoonist and then an art critic for the Sydney periodical The Observer, edited by Donald Horne. Around this time he wrote a history of Australian painting, titled The Art of Australia, which is still considered to be an important work. It was published in 1966. Hughes was also briefly involved in the original Sydney version of Oz magazine, and wrote art criticism for The Nation and The Sunday Mirror.
Hughes left Australia for Europe in 1964, living for a time in Italy before settling in London, England (1965) where he wrote for The Spectator, The Daily Telegraph, The Times and The Observer, among others, and contributed to the London version of Oz. In 1970 he obtained the position of art critic for TIME magazine and he moved to New York. He quickly established himself in the United States as an influential art critic.In 1975, he and Don Brady provided the narration for the film Protected, a documentary showing what life was like for Indigenous Australians on Palm Island.
In 1980, the BBC broadcast The Shock of the New, Hughes's television series on the development of modern art since the Impressionists. It was accompanied by a book of the same name; its combination of insight, wit and accessibility are still widely praised. In 1987, The Fatal Shore, Hughes's study of the British penal colonies and early European settlement of Australia, became an international best-seller.
Hughes provided commentary on the work of artist Robert Crumb in parts of the 1994 film Crumb, calling Crumb "the American Breughel". His 1997 television series American Visions reviewed the history of American art since the Revolution. He was again dismissive of much recent art; this time, sculptor Jeff Koons was subjected to criticism. Australia: Beyond the Fatal Shore (2000) was a series musing on modern Australia and Hughes's relationship with it. Hughes's 2002 documentary on the painter Francisco Goya, Goya: Crazy Like a Genius, was broadcast on the first night of the BBC's domestic digital service. Hughes created a one hour update to The Shock of the New. Titled The New Shock of the New, the program aired first in 2004. Hughes published the first volume of his memoirs, Things I Didn’t Know, in 2006.
Hughes left Australia for Europe in 1964, living for a time in Italy before settling in London, England (1965) where he wrote for The Spectator, The Daily Telegraph, The Times and The Observer, among others, and contributed to the London version of Oz. In 1970 he obtained the position of art critic for TIME magazine and he moved to New York. He quickly established himself in the United States as an influential art critic.In 1975, he and Don Brady provided the narration for the film Protected, a documentary showing what life was like for Indigenous Australians on Palm Island.
In 1980, the BBC broadcast The Shock of the New, Hughes's television series on the development of modern art since the Impressionists. It was accompanied by a book of the same name; its combination of insight, wit and accessibility are still widely praised. In 1987, The Fatal Shore, Hughes's study of the British penal colonies and early European settlement of Australia, became an international best-seller.
Hughes provided commentary on the work of artist Robert Crumb in parts of the 1994 film Crumb, calling Crumb "the American Breughel". His 1997 television series American Visions reviewed the history of American art since the Revolution. He was again dismissive of much recent art; this time, sculptor Jeff Koons was subjected to criticism. Australia: Beyond the Fatal Shore (2000) was a series musing on modern Australia and Hughes's relationship with it. Hughes's 2002 documentary on the painter Francisco Goya, Goya: Crazy Like a Genius, was broadcast on the first night of the BBC's domestic digital service. Hughes created a one hour update to The Shock of the New. Titled The New Shock of the New, the program aired first in 2004. Hughes published the first volume of his memoirs, Things I Didn’t Know, in 2006.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
July 17, 2021
I bought it mainly for Bob Hughes but these are some of the most gorgeous reproductions I've seen in any art book - and more to the point, turning the pages smells exactly like opening a box of crayons. Delightful.
March 6, 2008
Gorgeous book featuring the former Esprit collection with an intro & commentary from Judith Silber and text by Robert Hughes. Is a more accurate representation of Doug Tompkins attraction to Lancaster quilts made mostly from 1850-1870 than of Amish quiltmaking in general. The quilts are stunning, some historical detail provided with each plate.
November 18, 2015
Extraordinarily beautiful book on quilts as high art. Astonishing sublime color harmonies and abstract design. Gorgeous images.
No idea why someone would give it one star, unless they were looking for a book on how to piece and sew quilts, in which case this large format and expensive art book is NOT the book for them. :)
No idea why someone would give it one star, unless they were looking for a book on how to piece and sew quilts, in which case this large format and expensive art book is NOT the book for them. :)
January 18, 2026
What a stunning book! It's huge, weighs a lot, and the pages are printed on heavy paper that makes it feel important.
The introduction by Robert Hughes is the main reason I bought the book, though I also admire the Amish quilts (here, printed in beautiful detail so you can see the fine stitches in the quilting).
Hughes blends his knowledge of art movements, history, and a flair for words in an essay for the introduction. His way of presenting the history of women in art, quilting in general, and different types of quilts is accessible whether you know anything about art or sewing.
And since the focus of the book is on art quilts (rather than memory or picture-album quilts), he talks about the elements of design and materials that went into the majority of those featured in the full-color plates. Glorious volume, holds a special place in my library.
The introduction by Robert Hughes is the main reason I bought the book, though I also admire the Amish quilts (here, printed in beautiful detail so you can see the fine stitches in the quilting).
Hughes blends his knowledge of art movements, history, and a flair for words in an essay for the introduction. His way of presenting the history of women in art, quilting in general, and different types of quilts is accessible whether you know anything about art or sewing.
And since the focus of the book is on art quilts (rather than memory or picture-album quilts), he talks about the elements of design and materials that went into the majority of those featured in the full-color plates. Glorious volume, holds a special place in my library.
December 10, 2023
Large volume, in slipcase, of photographs and commentary on a curated collection of beautifully crafted quilts from the 19th and 20th centuries. Found in the book tent at a fund-raiser bazaar, it's destined to be a gift to a quilting friend.
March 5, 2016
Weeding your shelves is a good thing, especially when you find a book you'd forgotten you owned. I visited the Esprit Amish Quilt collection in San Francisco back in the 90s, when I was in town for a library conference. Their offices, all brick walls and glass, were open to the public for viewing Doug Tompkins' extraordinary collection of quilts. Tompkins later sold his collection and after a few twists and turns it has ended up in Lancaster County, a suitable resting place. Tompkins himself died just last year, sadly. But, anyway - it was wonderful to revisit these vivid, intense colors, deceptively simple patterns and elaborate quilting designs. Perhaps another Amish quilt is in my future?
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews