In the late Middle Ages, Europe counted a staggering number of monastic orders. Whole scores of people wished to dedicate their lives to God. Carmelites belonged to the order of the Mendicants and what characterises them is that they had no worldly goods. They derive their name form the Latin mendicare, meaning begging, which explains how they earned their living. They could easily be distinguished from other monastic orders by their clothing. We know that the monk on this panel is a Carmelite because of his tonsure and his characteristic white cloak. He may well have been the donor of the original tryptic. Many donors commissioned altar pieces depicting themselves. They would be represented devoutly praying, presented by saints. Often their nearest and dearest would also be somewhere in the painting in similar poses. Such altar pieces were often donated to the chapel or the monastic or parish church the donor would in some way or other be linked to. The beholders of the painting were considered to commemorate the depicted persons and to pray for their salvation.