An organic EL element includes a substrate and a light refractive layer, a first transparent electrode layer, an insulation layer, a hole transport layer, and a photosensitive resin layer stacked above the substrate. A luminous function layer is above the hole transport layer in a recess defined by the photosensitive resin layer. A second transparent electrode layer is above the luminous function layer. The light reflective layer, the first transparent electrode layer, the insulation layer, and the hole transport layer are formed above the substrate in a region isolated by the photosensitive resin layer. The photosensitive resin layer comprises a material that absorbs incident light of a predetermined wavelength. The first transparent electrode layer, the insulation layer, the hole transport layer, and the photosensitive resin layer each have a reflectance value that is between a local minimum value and a neighborhood value of the local minimum value.