Sculpture recovered much of its prestige with the spread of Romanesque building, beginning in the north. 

Church portals in Modena are decorated with intricate bas-reliefs by Wiligelmo and his pupil Nicolo Pisano (c.1220-84), who al so carved, among others, the portals of cathedrals in Verona, Ferrara, Piacenza and Cremona. 

Nicol created an illusion of space by using different levels of relief, and also carved out voluminous figures.

His pulpits in the baptistry in risa and in Siena's cathe-dral have a creative expression not seen in sculpture since Roman times.