diff --git a/frontend/src/routes/art/+page.svelte b/frontend/src/routes/art/+page.svelte
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..600edbb
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+++ b/frontend/src/routes/art/+page.svelte
@@ -0,0 +1,158 @@
+<script>
+  import { onMount } from 'svelte';
+  import { getJSON } from '$lib/api.js';
+
+  let art = $state(null);
+  let state = $state('loading');   // loading | ready | empty
+  let zoom = $state(false);
+
+  onMount(async () => {
+    try {
+      art = await getJSON('/api/art/today');
+      state = art?.image_url ? 'ready' : 'empty';
+    } catch {
+      state = 'empty';
+    }
+  });
+</script>
+
+<svelte:head>
+  <title>Daily Art · upbeatBytes</title>
+  <meta name="description" content="A masterwork a day from the world's open museum collections — one piece, beautifully framed, on upbeatBytes." />
+</svelte:head>
+
+<div class="room">
+  <header class="bar">
+    <a class="brand" href="/">upbeat<span>Bytes</span></a>
+    <nav class="nav">
+      <a href="/">News</a>
+      <a href="/play">Games</a>
+      <a href="/art" aria-current="page">Art</a>
+      <span class="pill">No ads · No paywalls</span>
+    </nav>
+  </header>
+
+  <main class="gallery">
+    <div class="intro">
+      <h1>Daily Art</h1>
+      <p>A masterwork a day, from the world's open collections.</p>
+    </div>
+
+    {#if state === 'ready'}
+      <figure class="piece">
+        <button class="frame" onclick={() => (zoom = true)} aria-label="View larger">
+          <img src={art.image_url} alt={art.title} />
+        </button>
+        <figcaption class="placard">
+          <h2 class="title">{art.title}</h2>
+          <p class="who">{art.artist || 'Unknown artist'}{#if art.date_text} · {art.date_text}{/if}</p>
+          {#if art.medium}<p class="medium">{art.medium}</p>{/if}
+          <p class="credit">
+            from {art.museum}{#if art.license} · {art.license}{/if}
+            {#if art.source_url}<a class="more" href={art.source_url} target="_blank" rel="noopener">View at {art.museum} →</a>{/if}
+          </p>
+        </figcaption>
+      </figure>
+    {:else if state === 'empty'}
+      <p class="note">The gallery's resting — a new piece is hung each morning. Check back soon.</p>
+    {:else}
+      <p class="note">Hanging today's piece…</p>
+    {/if}
+  </main>
+
+  <footer class="foot">upbeatBytes — no ads, no paywalls, no doomscrolling.</footer>
+</div>
+
+{#if zoom && art}
+  <button class="lightbox" onclick={() => (zoom = false)} aria-label="Close">
+    <img src={art.image_url} alt={art.title} />
+    <span class="lb-cap">{art.title} · {art.artist || ''}</span>
+  </button>
+{/if}
+
+<style>
+  /* --- look-overhaul testbed: bright, modern, calm. Scoped to /art for now. --- */
+  .room {
+    --canvas: #faf6ee;        /* warm cream, not brown */
+    --surface: #ffffff;
+    --ink: #232a31;           /* dark slate */
+    --muted: #707b86;
+    --line: #ece5d8;
+    --accent: #0a93c0;        /* upbeatBytes blue, a touch brighter */
+    --accent-deep: #066c8e;
+    min-height: 100vh;
+    background: var(--canvas);
+    color: var(--ink);
+    font-family: ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, sans-serif;
+    display: flex;
+    flex-direction: column;
+  }
+
+  .bar {
+    display: flex; align-items: center; justify-content: space-between;
+    padding: 18px clamp(16px, 5vw, 56px);
+    max-width: 1100px; width: 100%; margin: 0 auto; box-sizing: border-box;
+  }
+  .brand { font-weight: 800; font-size: 1.25rem; letter-spacing: -0.02em; color: var(--ink); text-decoration: none; }
+  .brand span { color: var(--accent); }
+  .nav { display: flex; align-items: center; gap: clamp(12px, 2.5vw, 26px); }
+  .nav a { color: var(--muted); text-decoration: none; font-weight: 600; font-size: 0.95rem; }
+  .nav a:hover { color: var(--ink); }
+  .nav a[aria-current="page"] { color: var(--accent); }
+  .pill {
+    font-size: 0.76rem; font-weight: 600; color: var(--accent-deep);
+    background: #e7f4f9; border: 1px solid #cdeaf3; border-radius: 999px; padding: 5px 12px;
+  }
+
+  .gallery {
+    flex: 1; width: 100%; max-width: 1100px; margin: 0 auto;
+    padding: clamp(20px, 5vw, 56px); box-sizing: border-box;
+    display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center;
+  }
+  .intro { text-align: center; margin-bottom: clamp(24px, 5vw, 48px); }
+  .intro h1 {
+    font-family: Georgia, "Iowan Old Style", "Times New Roman", serif;
+    font-size: clamp(2rem, 5vw, 3rem); margin: 0; letter-spacing: -0.01em;
+  }
+  .intro p { color: var(--muted); margin: 10px 0 0; font-size: 1.05rem; }
+
+  .piece { margin: 0; display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; max-width: 820px; }
+  .frame {
+    border: none; padding: 0; background: var(--surface); cursor: zoom-in;
+    border-radius: 18px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;
+    box-shadow: 0 18px 50px rgba(20, 30, 45, 0.14), 0 2px 8px rgba(20, 30, 45, 0.06);
+    transition: transform 0.25s ease, box-shadow 0.25s ease;
+  }
+  .frame:hover { transform: translateY(-3px); box-shadow: 0 26px 64px rgba(20, 30, 45, 0.18); }
+  .frame img { display: block; width: 100%; height: auto; max-height: 74vh; object-fit: contain; }
+
+  .placard { text-align: center; margin-top: clamp(20px, 4vw, 34px); max-width: 640px; }
+  .title {
+    font-family: Georgia, "Iowan Old Style", "Times New Roman", serif;
+    font-size: clamp(1.4rem, 3.5vw, 2rem); margin: 0; line-height: 1.2;
+  }
+  .who { margin: 8px 0 0; font-size: 1.05rem; color: var(--ink); }
+  .medium { margin: 4px 0 0; color: var(--muted); font-size: 0.95rem; font-style: italic; }
+  .credit { margin: 16px 0 0; color: var(--muted); font-size: 0.88rem; }
+  .more { display: inline-block; margin-left: 8px; color: var(--accent); font-weight: 600; text-decoration: none; }
+  .more:hover { color: var(--accent-deep); }
+
+  .note { color: var(--muted); font-size: 1.05rem; margin-top: 40px; }
+
+  .foot {
+    text-align: center; color: var(--muted); font-size: 0.84rem;
+    padding: 28px 16px 36px; border-top: 1px solid var(--line); margin-top: 24px;
+  }
+
+  .lightbox {
+    position: fixed; inset: 0; z-index: 50; border: none; cursor: zoom-out;
+    background: rgba(18, 22, 28, 0.92); display: flex; flex-direction: column;
+    align-items: center; justify-content: center; gap: 14px; padding: 4vmin;
+  }
+  .lightbox img { max-width: 96vw; max-height: 88vh; border-radius: 8px; box-shadow: 0 20px 60px rgba(0,0,0,0.5); }
+  .lb-cap { color: #e9e2d6; font-size: 0.9rem; }
+
+  @media (max-width: 560px) {
+    .pill { display: none; }
+  }
+</style>