Abstract: The image display apparatus of this invention includes: an illumination optical system for outputting a light beam of red, green, and blue three primary color light components in the state where two of the three color light components are different in polarization direction from the other color light component; a beam splitter for splitting the light beam output from the illumination optical system according to the polarization direction; a color separator for separating the two color light components having the same polarization direction: a plurality of reflection image display elements for modulating the light beams separated by the beam splitter and the color separator; and a projection optical system for projecting the light beams modulated by the plurality of reflection image display elements.