A liquid crystal display comprises a top polarizer 11, an optical compensating element, an anisotropic scattering layer 10, a scattering layer 7, and a liquid crystal device 20 incorporating therein a reflective layer 9. When the direction of viewing direction of the anisotropic scattering layer is designated as the Y-axis direction, and a direction oriented substantially at right angles to the Y-axis direction is designated as the X-axis direction, light entering the anisotropic scattering layer is scattered over a wider angle along the Y-axis direction than along the X-axis direction. Further, the incident angle dependence of the straight-go transmittance of the anisotropic scattering layer is symmetrical about the layer normal, and the straight-go transmittance in the layer normal direction is lower than the straight-go transmittance in any oblique direction.