A liquid crystal device for time-division driving comprising a plurality of picture elements arranged in a plurality of rows. Each picture element is composed of opposite electrodes, a layer of a ferroelectric liquid crystal having a volume resistivity of 1 x 10 9 Ω.cm or larger, disposed between the opposite electrodes and placed under bistability condition, and an insulating layer disposed on at least one of the opposite electrodes. The liquid crystal device is adapted to driving according to a time-division driving scheme wherein a writing signal is applied row by row and cyclically to the picture elements, and a particular row of picture elements to which the writing signal has been applied in a writing cycle retain their written states until a writing signal is applied to the particular row in a subsequent writing cycle.