An organic EL element comprising an organic thin film layer containing a light-emitting layer between an positive electrode and a negative electrode, in which a layer in the organic thin film layer comprises 1,3,6,8-tetraphenylpyrene compound expressed by the following structural formula (1), and a carbazole derivative expressed by the following structural formula (2), ##STR00001## in the structural formula (1), R.sup.1 R.sup.4 may be identical or different, and may be a hydrogen atom or a substituent group, ##STR00002##