A display apparatus includes a planar optical modulation device having a transparent substrate and a plurality of pixels disposed thereon so as to be each capable of optical modulation thereat, and a masking member disposed on the transparent substrate and including spacings. The making member includes a layer of a metal compound containing C, O and a metal element. The masking member is effective in reducing a degree of reflection of external light (from a viewer side) while maintaining a sufficient light-interrupting property, thus resulting in a display apparatus exhibiting good display performances.