To provide a curable resin composition which can form cured films high in flatness even on substrates having unevenness formed with color filters, gives cured films having high transparency and surface hardness and excellent in various resistances such as heat resistance, pressure resistance, acid resistance, and alkali resistance, gives resin composition solutions excellent in storage stability, and can form protection films for liquid crystal display elements.

This curable resin composition for forming the protection films includes (A) a copolymer, (B) a multi-functional S compound, and (C) a curing agent. Therein, (A) the copolymer includes a copolymer produced through a process for polymerizing a polymerizable unsaturated compound including an epoxy group-containing unsaturated compound in the presence of a compound represented by formula (1): Z1S-CS-S-S-CS-SZ2 (wherein, Z1 and Z2 are each mutually independently a 4-18C alkyl or a benzyl group which may be substituted).