An LCD panel (214) is provided on the light-incidence side thereof with a reflective polarizer. An optical compensator (213) is provided between a reflective polarizer (211) and the LCD panel (214) to reduce birefringence that takes place in the liquid crystal of the LCD panel (214). A further absorptive polarizer (212) is provided between a reflective polarizer (211) and the optical compensator (213). The reflective polarizer (211) and the absorptive polarizer (212) are arranged so that their transmission axes coincide to each other. Thus, the absorptive polarizer and optical compensator together cooperate to compensate for the deficient polarization degree of the reflective polarizer to improve the contrast of a displayed image. The absorptive polarizer absorbs unwanted catoptric light. The optical compensator removes irregularity in the blackness of the LCD panel that would otherwise appear in the black display screen. Thus, degradation of picture quality of a displayed image caused by unwanted catoptric light undergoing multiple reflections in the LCD panel can be eliminated by the absorptive polarizer in collaboration with the optical compensator.