A liquid crystal displaying apparatus is an apparatus for displaying characters and images by using electrooptical characteristics of liquid crystal molecules.  As constituent members of an image displaying apparatus such as a liquid crystal displaying apparatus, a polarizing element (which is also referred to as a polarizer or a polarizing film) that can take out specific polarized light and a retardation element (which is also referred to as a retardation film or an optical compensation layer) that brings about a predetermined retardation are used. 
Typically, in such a polarizing element or a retardation element, a polymer film, a film containing a liquid crystalline compound, and the like are used.  A polarizing element or a retardation element using a lyotropic liquid crystalline compound among the liquid crystalline compounds is known (patent documents 1 and 2). 
Since the lyotropic liquid crystalline compound shows a liquid crystal phase in a solution state, an applied film being a thin film as compared with a polymer film can be formed by applying a compound solution prepared in a liquid crystal phase on a suitable base material, followed by drying.  The applied film is utilized for usage such as a polarizing element or a retardation element. 
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No.  2002-277636
[Patent Document 2]
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No.  2002-241434