To attain display with high resolution in a reflective picture display plate having the holding function of the display state of picture information, and to easily manufacture this.

This picture display plate can be irradiated with a writing light from a direction Y1 opposite to a direct viewing direction X1. A light carrier is generated in the part which is irradiated with the writing light on an optical address layer 23, and phase shift or the change of an oriented state is generated in a picture recording layer 25 due to the change of voltage distribution generated due to this, and a picture is formed at that part. A DC voltage is applied to an electrode layer 22 and a transparent electrode layer 26 so that the picture recording layer 25 can be heated, and the phase shift or the change of the oriented state can be promoted. Also, the voltage is applied to the electrode layer 22 and the transparent electrode layer 26 so that a recorded picture can be eliminated. A rear support 21 and a front supporting body 27 are formed for supporting the picture recording layer 25. A dielectric layer 24 absorbs a visible light beam made incident from the direction X1. Thus, a part where the picture is recorded can be obtained with brightness different from that of the other parts, and the picture can be easily recognized by direct viewing from the direction X1.