A novel optical compensatory sheet is disclosed. The sheet comprises an optically anisotropic layer thereon comprising at least one compound represented by Formula (I) (R1—X1—)mAr1(—COOH)p, Formula (II): (R2—X2—)nAr2(—SO3H)q or Formula (III): (R—)sAr(—Y)r; where Ar1 denotes an aromatic heterocyclic group or aromatic condensed carbocyclic group, X1 denotes a single bond or divalent linking group, R1 denotes an alkyl group, and m and p are integers from 1 to 4; where Ar2 denotes an aromatic heterocyclic group or aromatic carbocyclic group, X2 denotes a single bond or divalent linking group, R2 denotes an alkyl group, n is an integer from 1 to 4 and q is an integer from 1 to 4; where Ar denotes an aromatic heterocyclic group or aromatic carbocyclic group, R denotes a substituent group, Y denotes sulfo or carboxyl, s is an integer from 0 to 5 and r is an integer from 1 to 4.