Control process for a matrix display comprising a material, whereof an optical property is to be modified, said material being placed between a first group of p parallel electrode rows and a second group of q parallel electrode columns, the rows and columns crossing one another, an area ij of the material being defined by the region of the material covered by row i, in which i is an integer such that 1.ltoreq.i.ltoreq.p, and by the column j, in which j is an integer such that 1.ltoreq.j.ltoreq.q, the rows and columns being used for carrying signals bringing about an excitation of the material, wherein the electrode rows have n horizontal gaps defining n+1 identical sets of electrode columns, a signal I is applied to electrode row i, while a zero signal is applied to the other electrode rows, the signal I being sequentially applied to the p electrode rows in accordance with increasing values of i, and wherein a signal J is applied to the electrode columns, said signal J being simultaneously applied to the electrode columns of the first set, during the application time of signal I to the p/n first electrode rows, the electrode columns of the other sets receiving a zero signal, then the electrode columns of the second set during the application time of signal I to the p/n following electrode rows, the electrode columns of the first set and other sets receiving a zero signal and so on up to the excitation of the electrode columns of the nth set.