Apophatic art

The oxymoron of “apophatic art” serves to make us consider the specificity of the icon beyond the mystification of which it is often the object. Byzantine art could be understood “in negations” compared to what was established as an aesthetic principle in the West since the Renaissance. By trying to illustrate it through this juxtaposition, we realize, however, that the “apophatic” attitude is found in the heart of Byzantine aesthetics, and defines the life of the forms, as well as its theoretical base. So it could be seen as a fundamental aspect of the icon, leading to a better understanding of the Byzantine culture.