Swiss journalist Jacques Légeret was “adopted” by an Old Order Amish family in 1986, with his wife and son. He lived with Amish families in Pennsylvania and Indiana for about 26 months over several trips. He thus had access to “hope chests“, wooden chests in which Amish women store their wedding quilts. His collection is what launched the European Patchwork Meeting. Author of three books on the Amish and their quilts, Jacques has presented his collection in various European museums; he is also known for his conferences which allow us to get a closer look at these atypical communities that intrigue us.
His meeting and friendship with Hans Zogg, another Swiss-German collector with a passion for quilts, led to the creation of an “Amish carriage” carrying a rare collection of quilts from these communities, of which they exhibit some of their favourites.
Hans Zogg was born in Zürich in 1946. As a mathematician and computer scientist, he has always been interested in different types of artistic expression and their sources of inspiration.
In 1983, through friends and exhibitions, he discovered the world of quilts. He was particularly fascinated by quilts, which, next to their craft perfection, emanate clarity, simplicity and strength. Hans Zogg regularly writes about different aspects of quilts in his newsletters.
