A liquid crystal device includes a pair of substrates; a liquid crystal layer interposed between the pair of substrates, the liquid crystal layer being composed of liquid crystal having negative dielectric anisotropy in which an initial alignment state thereof is vertical; and an optical compensating plate which is provided outside at least one substrate of the pair of substrates and has negative refractive index anisotropy. The liquid crystal is pretilted in a predetermined direction, and an optical axis direction of the optical compensating plate is substantially parallel to the pretilt direction of the liquid crystal.