The painting may be associated to the confraternity of "Our Lady of the Dry Tree".Paumen, Vanessa. "Petrus Christus". Flemish Art Collection, 1999. Retrieved 30 April 2021Borobia, Mar. "The Virgin of the dry Treeca. 1465". Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza. Retrieved 2 August 2020 The confraternity was closely associated with Philip the Good who, they believed, prayed to an image of the Virgin carved on a tree during a battle against the French; following his victory he is said to have established "Our Lady of the Dry Tree", although it is documented as extant as early as 1396.Upton (1990), p. 62Ainsworth (1994), pp. 164-165 Its seal, visible on extant ledgers, shows a thorny dry tree with dangling As.
