Provided is an image display apparatus, including: a light modulation element; an illumination optical system which includes at least one light source unit including a plurality of light emitting units two-dimensionally arranged and illuminates the light modulation element; and a projection optical system for enlarging and projecting an image of the light modulation element onto a projection surface, in which: an image of the plurality of light emitting units is imaged at a position corresponding to a stop of the projection optical system; the stop has an aperture shape of rotational asymmetry or of two-fold symmetry; and the plurality of light emitting units have illuminance intensities each independently controlled.