Abstract: The present invention relates to a display device based on liquid crystals, comprising a nematic liquid-crystal material (10) with positive dielectric anisotropy sandwiched between two transparent confinement plates (20, 30) each provided with transparent electrodes (22, 32), characterized in that at least one of the plates, (30), defines a quasi-bistable anchoring and in that it is provided with main electrical supply means (40) suitable for applying a temporary electric field to the liquid-crystal material (10) capable of breaking the anchoring on the aforementioned plate (30) and subsequently allowing, due to the effect of hydrodynamic instabilities, various localized orientations of the liquid-crystal molecules (10) corresponding to the preferred orientations of the quasi-bistable anchoring.