Among the workmen employed on this tomb a Jean de Rouen is mentioned,
but he left in 1521. The detail of the tomb at Rouen and that of the
pulpit here are alike in their exceeding fineness and beauty, and a man
thought worthy of taking part in the carving of the tomb might well be
able to carry out the pulpit; besides, on it are cut initials or signs
which have been read as J.R.[138] The J or I is distinct, the R much
less so, but the carver of the pulpit was certainly a Frenchman well
acquainted with the work of the French renaissance. It may therefore be
accepted with perhaps some likelihood, that the Jean de Rouen who left
Normandy in 1521, came then to Coimbra, carved this pulpit, and is the
same who as Joao de Ruao is mentioned in later documents as

[Illustration: FIG. 71.

COIMBRA, STA. CRUZ.

TOMB OF D. SANCHO I.]

[Illustration: FIG. 72.

COIMBRA.

STA. CRUZ.

PULPIT.]

still working for Santa Cruz, where he signed a discharge as late as
1549.[139]

The whole pulpit is but small, not more than about five feet high
including the corbelled support, and all carved with a minuteness and
delicacy not to be surpassed and scarcely to be equalled by such a work
as the tomb at Rouen. At the top is a finely moulded cornice enriched
with winged heads, tiny egg and tongue and other carving. Below on each
of the four sides are niches whose shell tops rest on small pilasters
all covered with the finest ornaments, and in each niche sits a Father
of the Western Church, St. Augustine, St. Jerome, St. Gregory, and St.
Ambrose. Their feet rest on slightly projecting bases, on the front of
each of which is a small panel measuring about four inches by two carved
with tiny figures and scenes in slight relief. On the shell heads, which
project a little in the centre, there stand, above St. Augustine three
minute figures of boys with wreaths, the figures being about three or
four inches high, above St. Jerome sit two others, with masks hanging
from their arms, upholding a shield and a cross of the Order of Christ.
Those above St. Gregory support a sphere, and above St. Ambrose one
stands alone with a long-necked bird on each side. At each angle two
figures, one above the other, each about eight inches high, stand under
canopies the delicacy of whose carving could scarcely be surpassed in
ivory. They represent, above, Religion with Faith, Hope, and Charity,
and below, four prophets. The corbelled support is made up of a gr