A picture display method and apparatus in which a light source is lengthened in service life and optimum color reproduction is realized, while the light utilization efficiency is improved to reduce the power consumption and the size of the apparatus. The red, green and blue illuminating light beams radiated from the light-emitting diodes 12R, 12G and 12R, are illuminated via relay lenses and field lenses on picture display light valves 11R, 11G and 11B and spatially modulated in intensity so as to be synthesized by a synthesis prism 10 and so as to be projected to an enlarged scale on a screen 17. The profile of the light radiating portions of the light-emitting diodes 12R, 12G and 12B are set so as to be the same or similar to the profile of a picture display area of each of the picture display light valves 11R, 11G and 11B in order that the profile of the light beam illuminated on the picture display area will be in keeping with the profile of the picture display area.