in His left hand, is God the Father Himself.
(Fig. 76.)

Less elaborate than the pulpit and less pictorial than the altar-pieces
in the cloister of Santa Cruz, this reredos is one of the most
successful of all the French works at Coimbra, and its beauty is
enhanced by the successful lighting through a large window cut on
purpose at the side, and by the beautiful tiles--probably
contemporary--with which the chapel is lined.

In front of the altar lies Dom Jorge d'Almeida, under a flat stone,
bearing his arms, and this inscription in Latin, 'Here lies Jorge
d'Almeida by the goodness of the divine power bishop and count. He lived
eighty-five years, and died eight days before the Kalends of Sextillis
A.D. 1543, having held both dignities sixty-two years.'

CHAPTER XV

THE INFLUENCE OF THE FOREIGNER

Very quickly the fame of these French workers spread across the country,
and they or their pupils were employed to design tombs, altar-pieces, or
chapels outside of Coimbra. Perhaps the da Silvas, lords of Vagos, were
among the very first to employ them, and in their chapel of Sao Marcos,
some eight or nine miles from Coimbra, more than one example of their
handiwork may still be seen.

[Sidenote: Tomb in Nossa Senhora dos Olivaes, Thomar.]

However, before visiting Sao Marcos mention must be made of two tombs,
one in Nossa Senhora dos Olivaes at Thomar, and one in the Graca church
at Santarem. Both are exceedingly French in design, and both were
erected not long after the coming of the foreigners.

The tomb in Thomar is the older. It is that of Diogo Pinheiro, the first
bishop of Funchal--which he never visited--who died in 1525. No doubt
the monument was put up soon after. It is placed rather high on the
north wall of the chancel; at the very bottom is a moulding enriched
with egg and tongue, separated by a plain frieze--crossed by a shield
with the bishop's arms--from the plinth and from the pedestals of the
side shafts and their supporting mouldings. On the plinth under a round
arched recess stands a sarcophagus with a tablet in front bearing the
date A.D. 1525, while behind in an elegant shell-topped niche is a
figure kneeling on a beautiful corbel. The front of this arch is adorned
with cherubs' heads, the jambs with arabesques, and heads look out of
circles in the spandrils. At the sides are Corinthian pilasters, and in
front of them beautiful candelabrum shafts. The cornice with a
well-carved frieze is