La production sculptée à Gènes entre Antiquité Tardive et haut Moyen Âge

The sculptural works from Genoa and its territory are the subject of this paper that gathers all the evidence attributable to the transition from Late Antiquity to the early Middle Ages. Early examples are the sarcophagi of Late Roman Empire with Christian iconography, in which symbolic themes (Good Shepherd, episodes from the Old and New Testament) are used. This is followed by a discussion of sculptures that document the transition from the iconographic motifs shared with the pagan world examples implementing symbolic Christian language (chancels with cross and Chrismon). These can be compared by their technique and figurative language of the Byzantine culture of Ravenna, but with strong influences from the eastern Mediterranean world. This paper tries to deepen knowledge on the art of this period, when sculptures did not show unambiguous characteristics but rather forms of fusion between two distinct figurative designs, treated according to the principles of harmony and with refined elegance.