To provide a picture display device capable of providing a stereoscopic picture for an observer both when it is arranged long in a vertical direction and when it is arranged long in a horizontal direction.

In the picture display device 1, a retardation plate 6 is integrally provided on a polarizing plate 5 arranged on the light emitting side of a display panel 3. By providing the retardation plate 6 integrally provided on the polarizing plate 5 and a polarization control liquid crystal panel 7, and making a picture for a left eye L1 and a picture for a right eye R1 incident on a left eye 10a and a right eye 10b respectively with light transmitted through the polarization control area 6b of the retardation plate 6 in such a state that the display panel 3 is arranged long in the vertical direction, the stereoscopic picture is provided for the observer 10, and also by making a picture for a left eye L2 and a picture for a right eye R2 incident on the left eye 10a and the right eye 10b respectively with light transmitted through the polarization control area 7e of the polarization control liquid crystal panel 7 in such a state that the display panel 3 is arranged long in the horizontal direction, the stereoscopic picture is provided for the observer 10.