Stephen Eckert, project architect at Caddis Collaborative, recently had the wonderful experience of traveling abroad for a year with his wife and two daughters. While they were traveling, they spent time in Italy, where Stephen saw many of Michelangelo’s works of art.

So it was appropriate that Stephen would pick up The Agony and the Ecstasy, Irving Stone’s classic biographical novel about the life of Michelangelo. Stone’s research into Michelangelo was extensive: he even lived in Florence and took stone masonry classes to better understand the artist’s work.

Stephen is captivated with Michelangelo’s interactions with people from all walks of life – popes, kings, the Medici family, stone masons, stone carvers. Particularly interesting to Stephen is Stone’s fascinating emphasis on the history, economics, and politics of getting things built, how outside influences affect the artist’s work and the end product.

Though Michelangelo’s wealthy patrons held sway over his work, they had a very strong belief in art, music, and literature and were willing to support those creative endeavors. In fact, Stephen says, “the patronage system might have been better because Michelangelo didn’t have to worry about selling his art.”

Though it’s a little on the long side, Stephen says he highly recommends The Agony and the Ecstasy: “It’s a good, fun read.”