Virgin and Child Icon

I’ve been working on this for a few months, and now it’s done.  I’m posting just four images, but there are actually many steps in-between each step that I have here.  This is my variation of the traditional Eleusa icon (Virgin of Tenderness) – in this version the infant Christ is also looking at the viewer.  I’ve also used a combination of egg tempera and oils, because I find I can get very rich colors that way, but I also like the texture of the egg tempera in the base.