An image display method for displaying a surface shape by measuring the surface shape of an object surface of a work piece to be measured with a contact probe placed on a machine and displaying the surface shape of said object surface on a screen based on measured shape data of the object surface, the method having: measuring a multiplicity of measuring positions on the object surface to be measured with the probe while relatively moving the probe on the object surface in order to obtain continuous shape data of the object surface; and displaying the surface shape of the object surface in real time based on the continuous shape data.