 He would work there at the renovation of the Augustinian Santa Cruz Monastery, besides Diogo Pires the Younger and under the direction of Diogo de Castilho.His reputation grew so fast that already in 1519 king Manuel I appointed him his personal sculptor ("Imaginario de Pedraria") with the accompanying pension and privileges.He was by then already considered as the most important sculptor of what was to be called “The School of Coimbra”, consisting of Jean de Rouen (João de Ruão), Jacques Buxe, Philippe Houdart, Diogo Francisco, Pero Anes, Diogo Fernandes, João Fernandes, João de Castilho and Diogo de Castilho.