Abstract: A color image pickup and display device that can be simply structured and provided at a low price. A lighting source irradiates lights of primary colors in a manner capable of being switched in a predetermined sequence. Monochrome solid-state image sensors are used as image pickup means, while a backlight type monochrome LCD element is used as a display of a display device. The LCD element can switch the color of backlight to the same color as that of the lighting source synchronously with the switching of color thereof. Thus, the backlight can emit light of the same color as that of the light emitted by the lighting source when the picture signals outputted by the sensors in response to the image observed by the light of the lighting source are displayed by the LCD element.