A liquid application device includes a rotating unit for rotating an application member to apply liquid to a medium in contact with the application member, a liquid application unit including the application member, and a retention member for retaining liquid in a sealed liquid retention space formed to be in contact with the application member. The liquid application unit applies the liquid retained in the liquid retention space to the medium via the application member by rotating the application member. In addition, a control unit controls the rotating unit, wherein the control unit controls, after receiving information of instruction on applying liquid to the medium, the rotating unit to rotate, before the application member contacts the medium, the application member so that the rotating unit performs a preliminary rotation that forms a pool of the liquid in an area. The area is upstream, in a rotational direction, of a contact area between the retention member and the application member at a side where a surface of the application member enters a contact area with the retention member, and the area is downstream, in the rotational direction, of a contact area between the medium and the application member when transferring the medium.