On Interdisciplinary Work

I recently came across this quote from Théophile Gautier (1811–1872)'s poem L'Art:

Oui, l'oeuvre sort plus belle
D'une forme au travail
Rebelle,
Vers, marbre, onyx, émail.

[Yes, the work comes out more beautiful from a material that resists the process, verse, marble, onyx, or enamel (not email!)]

I think this summarizes well the merits of interdisciplinary work and the challenges and joys of system-level science.