Display device

A display device comprising:

• a light source device configured to emit first emission light in a first direction, the first emission light including first linearly polarized light and second linearly polarized light having a polarization direction orthogonal to the polarization direction of the first linearly polarized light;
• a first liquid crystal panel including a reflective polarizing plate having a plate surface on which the first emission light is incident, the reflective polarizing plate being configured to transmit the first linearly polarized light and reflect the second linearly polarized light in a second direction different from the first direction at the plate surface, the liquid crystal panel being configured to modulate the first linearly polarized light transmitted through the reflective polarizing plate and to emit the modulated first linearly polarized light toward a light-transmitting body in the first direction as second emission light corresponding to a first image;
• and
• an optical element on which the second linearly polarized light reflected at the plate surface is incident along the second direction, the optical element being configured to impart a phase difference to the incident second linearly polarized light and to emit the second linearly polarized light in the second direction toward the plate surface as third emission light, wherein
• the first liquid crystal panel is configured to modulate the third emission light transmitted through the reflective polarizing plate and display a second image on a display surface, and
• the optical element includes
• a second liquid crystal panel on which the second linearly polarized light reflected at the plate surface is incident along the second direction and that imparts a phase difference to transmitted light, and
• a reflective plate configured to reflect light transmitted through the second liquid crystal panel, in the second direction toward the second liquid crystal panel.