The vertical format and the theme allow us to hypothesise that the painting was originally for the doors of an organ. According to a middle eastern tradition, the Virgin Mary was made pregnant when the Holy Spirit whispered into her ear. The theme of the Annunciation, the moment in which the Word is received, is therefore often depicted on organ doors. The work blends traits taken from classicist Bologna painting (see Guido Reni, for example), a taste for glossy, enamelled coats of colour, and a search for precious effects that were typical of the Flemish training culture.