The story of Saint George appears to us as a legend: his figure as a holy knight crosses different cultures of the Mediterranean and is still central in many countries around the world.  

The exhibition is the first important exhibition dedicated to Saint George, one of the four patron saints of Genoa. His figure, a symbol of protection, has been widespread since the Middle Ages in religious images, on the portals of palaces, in official documents as well as on the city's banner. His flag, a red cross on a white background, still flies today on public buildings. Patron of knights, invoked as a protector from the plague, the bond between Saint George and the Republic of Genoa intertwines over the centuries.  

A selection of precious objects – from the medieval period to the mid-sixteenth century – offers a fascinating journey through paintings, sculptures, bas-reliefs, goldsmithing, prints, miniatures, decorated artifacts in which the figure of the saint is repeated and reinvented by artists and artisans. The exhibition includes some important loans from Italian collections, with paintings by Cosmè Tura, Ercole dè Roberti, Vittore Carpaccio, Andrea Mantegna, as well as works from various European museums. 

The path tells the fortune over the centuries of the “myth” of Saint George, from the martyr of the Byzantine era to the medieval narrative that presents him as a holy knight fighting against evil. The visit concludes with an invitation to rediscover, through evocative images, the rich civic heritage, from the medieval portals of the historic center to the most recent depictions of Saint George. 

The exhibition is included in the ticket for the National Museums of Genoa (Palazzo Reale and Palazzo Spinola): full price € 12.00; reduced price for EU youths aged 18-25 € 2.00; free for minors and entitled individuals.