In an electro-optical light shutter device using a solid-solution ceramic material for alternate transmission and interception of light, a first voltage is applied to the solid-solution ceramic material in the operating (open) position of the shutter, and a second voltage of polarity opposite to that of the first voltage and having an absolute value smaller than that of the first voltage is applied to the solid-solution ceramic material in the non-operating (closed) position of the shutter. The solid-solution ceramic material has a composition in which a ferroelectric phase and a non-ferroelectric phase adjoin each other through a morphotropic phase boundary.