diff --git a/app/src/main/kotlin/com/shonar/desktop/Main.kt b/app/src/main/kotlin/com/shonar/desktop/Main.kt
index 09013c7..1799ee6 100644
--- a/app/src/main/kotlin/com/shonar/desktop/Main.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/kotlin/com/shonar/desktop/Main.kt
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 package com.shonar.desktop
 
+import androidx.compose.foundation.background
 import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.Box
 import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.Column
 import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.Row
@@ -32,6 +33,7 @@ import androidx.compose.ui.input.key.type
 import androidx.compose.ui.platform.LocalDensity
 import androidx.compose.ui.unit.Density
 import androidx.compose.ui.unit.dp
+import androidx.compose.ui.graphics.Brush
 import androidx.compose.ui.graphics.painter.BitmapPainter
 import androidx.compose.ui.graphics.toComposeImageBitmap
 import androidx.compose.ui.window.Window
@@ -109,8 +111,19 @@ fun main() = application {
         val baseDensity = LocalDensity.current
         val themeMode by state.themeMode.collectAsState()
         ShonarTheme(mode = themeMode) {
+            // Meridian page backdrop: faint top-to-bottom luminance
+            // ramp; the Surface itself goes transparent so it shows
+            // through behind all screens.
+            Box(
+                Modifier.fillMaxSize().background(
+                    Brush.verticalGradient(
+                        listOf(Shonar.BackgroundTop, Shonar.BackgroundBottom),
+                    ),
+                ),
+            ) {
             Surface(
-                Modifier.fillMaxSize().onPreviewKeyEvent { e ->
+                color = androidx.compose.ui.graphics.Color.Transparent,
+                modifier = Modifier.fillMaxSize().onPreviewKeyEvent { e ->
                     if (e.type != KeyEventType.KeyDown) return@onPreviewKeyEvent false
                     // Esc leaves Detail → Library; Alt+←/→ page recordings.
                     // (Plain arrows stay with text fields.)
@@ -207,6 +220,7 @@ fun main() = application {
                 }
                 }
             }
+            }
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/app/src/main/kotlin/com/shonar/desktop/Theme.kt b/app/src/main/kotlin/com/shonar/desktop/Theme.kt
index ce1802d..6c198ed 100644
--- a/app/src/main/kotlin/com/shonar/desktop/Theme.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/kotlin/com/shonar/desktop/Theme.kt
@@ -74,6 +74,9 @@ data class ShonarPalette(
      *  selected-row wash) — decorative emphasis, not an error color. */
     val highlight: Color = Color(0xFFFB3F7F),
     val highlightTint: Color = Color(0x26FB3F7F),
+    /** Vertical page gradient endpoints; default flat = [background]. */
+    val backgroundTop: Color = background,
+    val backgroundBottom: Color = background,
 )
 
 /** Charcoal with a faint blue cast, per the reference: page #16181C,
@@ -94,8 +97,10 @@ private val DarkPalette = ShonarPalette(
     textMuted = Color(0xFF6B7080),
     error = Color(0xFFF85149),           // true red, distinct from highlight
     onError = Color(0xFF1A0B0D),
-    // Faint highlight per reference: the wash IS the red — a muted
-    // mauve sampled at #573440 — not a saturated hot pink.
+    // Meridian page gradient (per reference ramp): a faintly lighter
+    // band at the top edge deepening to near-black at the bottom.
+    backgroundTop = Color(0xFF1B1D21),
+    backgroundBottom = Color(0xFF101113),
     highlight = Color(0xFFB4768B),       // dusty rose for title text
     highlightTint = Color(0xFF573440),   // exact mauve row wash
 )
@@ -131,6 +136,9 @@ object Shonar {
 
     // ---- color tokens (theme-aware: readable inside any composable) ----
     val Background: Color @Composable get() = LocalPalette.current.background
+    /** Meridian page gradient endpoints (top lighter, bottom darker). */
+    val BackgroundTop: Color @Composable get() = LocalPalette.current.backgroundTop
+    val BackgroundBottom: Color @Composable get() = LocalPalette.current.backgroundBottom
     val Surface: Color @Composable get() = LocalPalette.current.surface
     val SurfaceAlt: Color @Composable get() = LocalPalette.current.surfaceAlt
     val Border: Color @Composable get() = LocalPalette.current.border