In an image display device having a backlight including a plurality of light sources, the backlight is divided into a plurality of areas arranged in the same direction as an order of writing to pixels. A backlight drive circuit sets lighting periods separately for each of the areas and causes the brightness of the light sources to rise and drop in a non-step manner during the corresponding lighting period. In a case where first and second areas are adjacent to each other, there is a period of overlap between a lighting period set for the first area and a lighting period set for the second area, and the period of overlap includes a middle portion in which the brightness of light sources corresponding to the first area drops and the brightness of light sources corresponding to the second area rises.