noun
inscription on a painting; legend over a picture
Refers to a short text, poem, or commentary written directly on a painting, often in East Asian art.
この山水画には、画家自身の画賛が添えられている。
This landscape painting includes an inscription by the artist himself.
Compound of 画 (ga, 'picture') and 賛 (san, 'praise' or 'inscription'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the term has been used in East Asian art contexts for centuries.