noun
mitate-e; ukiyo-e print with playful juxtaposition of contemporary and traditional elements
A genre of ukiyo-e that uses visual puns or allusions, often replacing classical subjects with modern figures or settings. The term is primarily used in art history contexts.
この見立て絵は、源氏物語の場面を江戸の町人に置き換えている。
This mitate-e replaces a scene from The Tale of Genji with Edo townspeople.
鈴木春信の見立て絵には、当時の流行や風俗が巧みに取り入れられている。
Suzuki Harunobu's mitate-e skillfully incorporate the trends and customs of the time.
Mitate is the general concept of likening one thing to another; mitate-e applies this visual punning to ukiyo-e prints.
Standard spelling with okurigana 立て, making the reading clear.
Variant without okurigana; less common but still used in art contexts.
Compound of 見立て (mitate, 'likening, comparison') + 絵 (e, 'picture'). The term describes ukiyo-e prints that use visual analogies to create humorous or clever juxtapositions.