Fringe field switching liquid crystal display device

A liquid crystal display device having a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix pattern, the liquid crystal display device comprising:

• a first substrate and a second substrate provided so as to oppose each other;
• and
• a liquid crystal layer provided between the first substrate and the second substrate,
• the first substrate comprising:
• an alignment film provided so as to be in contact with the liquid crystal layer, the alignment film defining an initial alignment azimuthal direction, which is an alignment azimuthal direction of liquid crystal molecules when no electric field is applied through the liquid crystal layer;
• a first electrode and a second electrode capable of producing a fringe electric field that aligns the liquid crystal molecules in an azimuthal direction that is different from the initial alignment azimuthal direction;
• and
• a third electrode and a fourth electrode capable of producing a lateral electric field that aligns the liquid crystal molecules in the initial alignment azimuthal direction.