Icon - Virgin of Tenderness - Wood, Metal - Tempera, NO RESERVE

An Orthodox sacred icon of the Mother of God with the Child Jesus, set inside an elaborate embossed metal frame, typical of the artistic tradition of Eastern Europe (as in Russian or Greek icons). Iconography and Style AnalysisIconographic Type: The composition depicts the Virgin holding the Child, who caresses her face or chin. This particular affectionate pose falls within the model of the Glykophilousa (known in Italian as the Virgin of the Sweet Kiss or Tenderness), an intimate and protective variant derived from the classic Eleousa arrangement.The Frame (Riza / Oklad): The icon is clad or framed by a thick metal plate finely decorated in relief and chasing, leaving exposed only the central painted part. On the sides of the frame are small arched cartouches depicting full-figure saints or angels, a feature common in Russian devotional works for private worship.Inscriptions: On the left side of the Virgin's face there are characters in Cyrillic or ancient Greek printed in gold, traditionally used to abbreviate sacred titles (such as MP ΘY, “Mother of God”) and to identify the exact theological title of the work.