Terrific Triumph by Stone. Review on Agony And The Ecstacy, The - Irving Stone

About the Book and Author:

This is a very passionate & an extremely exuding novel on the very much talented Italian sculptor, painter & architect Michelangelo Buonarotti, written by Irving Stone.The title is quite apt for the novel as you can feel both the agony and the ecstacy of Michelangelo.The author had completely absorbed himself in the research for material on Michelangelo for more than 6 years.Stone gives us every minute detail about Michelangelo that by the time you finish reading the book you get the feeling that you are acquainted with the great artist..

The Story:

Michelangelo was a very hard-working person.He was very much interested in drawing and sculpting.But his father was against it as he thought that this was a profession where you couldn't earn much.Michelangelo was so talented that he could get himself enrolled in the drawing & sculpting classes of a very reputed artist.Instead of paying like the rest of his friends for these classes he himself got paid for learning them!!.He never spent any money on himself as his father always tried to get money from him as he himself had no job.Michelangelo loved his step-mother a lot.

Michelagelo loved working on the marble.He used to spend days searching for a block of marble which he thought was perfect for sculpting.He loved sculpting though he was asked or rather ordered to paint most of the times by the then Popes.Michelangelo had many admirers, not so many friends and many enemies too.He entirely sacrificed his personal life for he though that art was his life.He was in love, twice in his much busy life.His first love was married to someone else and his second love had become a nun.He was very hurt both these times but yet he did not let it affect his art.His last wish was to be buried with his family but not in St.Peter's where the Pope wished him to.

Throughout his life he was made to do the art works which he did not like or was not interested in doing.Yet he did them with same dedication as the rest.Though he could not enjoy the bliss of Love and Family yet he was blessed to enjoy the bliss of his precious art.

His Works and my favourite one:

There were many in number but some of them are Madonna of the stairs, Bachchus , David , Moses, Dawn , Dusk , The Risen Christ etc.....

After reading the book I had a very intense urge to see his art works which are present in Rome, Vatican , Florence etc.I had to content myself by checking out the pics of his artworks on the net.My favourite is THE PIETA.It's a sculpture of Mother Mary and Jesus.The body of Jesus lies gently in the hands of Mary. Mary looks very sad and quite grief-stricken yet she looks cool and composed.Her expression is so wonderful that it makes you feel sad looking at her plight..It is a really very classic piece of art-work..

All in all it is a very sweet and a wonderful book about a very very talented and an equally hard working person..