To stably supply a molded article high in transfer accuracy for a short time by preventing irregular deformation, caused by mold release resistance becoming a problem in a conventional photosetting resin molding method, for a short time.

A photosetting resin cured by ionizing radiation with ultraviolet rays or electron beam is applied to the transfer surface of a mold for the reversal transfer of an optical surface shape and subsequently cured to manufacture an optical element. Before the coating of the transfer surface of the mold with the photosetting resin, mold release treatment constituted of sub-processes 1-3 is applied to the transfer surface of the mold before curing treatment. The sub-processes consists of a sub-process 1 wherein the transfer surface of the mold is coated with a composition prepared by diluting a fluorine-containing material, which can be formed into a membrane, with a proper solvent, a sub- process 2 wherein the temperature of the transfer surface of the mold is raised to volatilize the solvent to form a membrane of a fluorine-containing material and a sub-process 3 wherein the transfer surface of the mold is irradiated with ionizing radiation and the membrane of the fluorine-containing material is fixed to the transfer surface of the mold.