Knowing Through Unknowing: Unveiling the Reverse Perspective in Lossky’s Apophatic Theology and Its Implications for Orthodox Epistemology

Abstract

The reverse perspective is a drawing technique of medieval Byzantine iconography, in which the viewer is the point of view of the object depicted in the icon and experiences various perspectives. There is no vanishing point, and the perspective lines do not overlap the mystical reality of the sacred art, but inversely, they start from the depths, ending with the onlooker standing before it. Such distortion of the realistic perspective is a subject of significant scholarly interest. However, theological analysis remains notably absent, leaving an extremely interesting area of study out of focus. Accordingly, this article delves into the theological concepts and implications of the reverse perspective, with a primary focus on Orthodox epistemology through the work of theologian Vladimir Lossky. It aims to demonstrate that the reverse perspective is not merely a stylistic choice but manifests profound theological meaning exploring its relevance for contemporary theological scholarship.