The typology that widely characterized this period is that of large retables and altars portraying various religious themes. This triptych, on two levels by João de Ruão, depicts episodes related to the iconography of the Virgin, under the invocation of the Virgin of Compassion, in low and medium relief. It consists of six panels – The Adoration of the magi, The Adoration of the Shepherds, The Visitation, The Virgin of Compassion, The presentation in the Temple and The Flight into Egypt. The two central panels contain the pivotal images directly related to the spiritual values of the members of the Coimbra Misericordia, for whom this work was produced.