The Agony and the Ecstasy

After a trip to Florence to see Michelangelo’s earlier works and then David, I struggled to understand the genius, his intense pursuit of excellence, and how his surroundings influenced his art.

The author set me in one of the most fascinating eras of history and made me feel as if I were an apprentice in Michelangelo’s shop. I wept to comprehend the artist and realized that perfection was not a choice for Michelangelo, but a non-negotiable burden.

As I now observe genius in a musician, a scientist, or a mother caring for an autistic child, I give credence to what… show more.

My most formative reading experience was during the summer of my sixteenth birthday.

On vacation visiting my Oma in Germany, The Agony and The Ecstasy by Irving Stone was the only book in English in my uncle’s library.

Through Michelangelo’s eyes, I felt his artistic passion as he sculpted a block of marble or put paint on canvas. I spent the rest of the summer sketching the castle above Oma’s house and the German countryside.

A great novel moves you. In my case, I literally had to go draw.

This book is as timeless as Michelangelo himself! It’s also a personal favorite of mine. I’ve read this book numerous times and, in my opinion, it is a riveting portrait of a genius which does not overlook many of his foibles. Michelangelo was passionate, hot-tempered and even had many moments of insecurity. Stone does a brilliant job of bringing the Renaissance to life and how this icon created many of the masterpieces that we revere today. The descriptions and detail of Michelangelo’s artistic prowess are sublime. For example, I loved learning how Michelangelo was the third artist to carve that… show more.

Irving Stone aimed high when telling us the story of Michelangelo. Emergence in all seasons is not restricted to time, person, psychology, or philosophy. Michelangelo said “Life is to be enjoyed. Life is to be worked. Dawn, Day, Dusk and Night.” Irving “His sculpture, David, had been young, knowing he could conquer everything he set out after; Moses was ripe in years, but with the inner strength to move mountains. He always wanted his figures to represent something important. Michelangelo wanted his marble to emerge with emotion as he had emerged in art, mind, and life.