The Rise of Romanesque Sculpture

The sudden appearance of Romanesque sculpture in the 12th century AD poses a puzzle for historians of art since it seems to emerge onto the scene without any precursory forms. Porter argues for an origin in the sculpture of Lombardy, which crossed over into France. This article presents both the problem and the solution with photographs and sketches of the artwork in question and illuminates the cultural context in which this new school of sculpture might have arisen.