Gerard David painted in Bruges all his life. Where he trained is unknown, though his early works show the influence of his northern Netherlandish roots. The Annunciation panels (1975.1.120), which were painted in grisaille to emulate sculpture, originally decorated the reverses of the two Passion scenes and together formed the movable wings of an altarpiece. When the wings were closed, the Virgin Annunciate and the Archangel Gabriel were shown. When opened, on certain feast days, the Christ Carrying the Cross and the Resurrection would have been displayed, flanking a central image, perhaps the Lamentation.