Nicola's first authenticated work, the signed pulpit for the Pisa Baptistery, dated 1260, fuses southern and Tuscan elements into a truly original vision, reinforcing the consensus on the artist's unknown birthplace: he was probably born in southern Italy (in two documents he is referred to as "de Apulia") and may have either been trained in Pisa or worked for Frederick II before settling in Pisa.

The pulpit is a hexagon supported by seven columns. The upper part is decorated with five large-scale narrative reliefs, which are separated from each other by clusters of three columns and rest on an archivolt with figurated spandrels ornamented at the angles with figure sculpture. Three of the external columns are supported by lions, treated naturalistically with strongly defined sinews and heavy manes.

Preview	Picture Data	Info
	Pulpit 1260 Marble, height 465 cm Baptistery, Pisa
	Pulpit 1260 Marble, height 465 cm Baptistery, Pisa
	Pulpit 1260 Marble, height 465 cm Baptistery, Pisa
	Pulpit (detail) 1260 Marble Baptistery, Pisa
	Pulpit relief: Annunciation, Birth of Jesus and Adoration of the Shepherds 1260 Marble Baptistery, Pisa
	Pulpit relief: Annunciation, Birth of Jesus and Adoration of the Shepherds 1260 Marble Baptistery, Pisa
	Pulpit relief: Adoration of the Magi 1260 Marble, 85 x 113 cm Baptistery, Pisa
	Pulpit relief: Adoration of the Magi 1260 Marble, 85 x 113 cm Baptistery, Pisa
	Pulpit relief: Presentation in the Temple 1260 Marble Baptistery, Pisa
	Pulpit relief: Presentation in the Temple 1260 Marble Baptistery, Pisa
	Pulpit relief: Crucifixion 1260 Marble Baptistery, Pisa
	Pulpit relief: Crucifixion 1260 Marble Baptistery, Pisa
	Pulpit relief: Last Judgment 1260 Marble Baptistery, Pisa
	Pulpit: Fortitude 1260 Marble, height 56 cm Baptistery, Pisa
	Pulpit: Fortitude 1260 Marble, height 56 cm Baptistery, Pisa
	Pulpit: Fidelity 1260 Marble, height 58 cm Baptistery, Pisa