Russian icon depicting Our Lady of Tenderness, 19th century

The Virgin of "sweet love" or "tenderness" shown in this icon is one of the classic types of Marian icons, identified primarily by the cheek-to-cheek position between Mother and Child. The blue tunic recalls heaven and the red mantle indicates love and participation in the Redemption wrought by Christ. The golden ornaments on the mantle indicate her kingship and the graces Mary has been given by God. The Virgin's look is not to the Child, but to the one looking at the icon to introduce him to the meeting with Christ, the bearer of the good news.