diff --git a/frontend/src/components/react/PostList.tsx b/frontend/src/components/react/PostList.tsx
index cf134d2..26026a2 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/react/PostList.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/react/PostList.tsx
@@ -42,19 +42,6 @@ function formatMonth(date: string) {
   return new Date(date).toLocaleDateString('en-US', { month: 'short' }).toUpperCase();
 }
 
-function toRoman(n: number): string {
-  const map: [number, string][] = [
-    [1000, 'M'], [900, 'CM'], [500, 'D'], [400, 'CD'],
-    [100, 'C'], [90, 'XC'], [50, 'L'], [40, 'XL'],
-    [10, 'X'], [9, 'IX'], [5, 'V'], [4, 'IV'], [1, 'I'],
-  ];
-  let out = '';
-  for (const [val, sym] of map) {
-    while (n >= val) { out += sym; n -= val; }
-  }
-  return out;
-}
-
 // Deterministic salon-hang layout. Each tile gets a col-span (out of 12) and an aspect ratio.
 // The cycle is chosen so the room reads asymmetric but balanced.
 const LAYOUT_CYCLE: Array<{ col: number; aspect: string; tilt: number }> = [
@@ -123,7 +110,6 @@ export default function PostList({ posts: initialPosts, isAdmin = false }: Props
         const displayTitle = post.title || formatSlug(post.slug);
         const isDeleting = deleting === post.slug;
         const layout = LAYOUT_CYCLE[idx % LAYOUT_CYCLE.length];
-        const exhibitNumber = toRoman(idx + 1);
         const hasCover = !!post.cover_image?.url;
 
         return (
@@ -141,8 +127,6 @@ export default function PostList({ posts: initialPosts, isAdmin = false }: Props
               style={{ transform: `rotate(${layout.tilt}deg)` }}
               aria-label={`View ${displayTitle}`}
             >
-              <span className="plate-tag">№ {exhibitNumber}</span>
-
               <div
                 className="plate-image"
                 style={{ aspectRatio: layout.aspect }}
@@ -178,18 +162,16 @@ export default function PostList({ posts: initialPosts, isAdmin = false }: Props
               </div>
 
               <div className="plate-caption">
-                <div className="min-w-0">
-                  <div className="plate-caption-title truncate">{displayTitle}</div>
-                  {post.summary && (
-                    <div className="mt-1 text-xs text-[var(--subtext0)] font-sans italic line-clamp-1">
-                      {post.summary}
-                    </div>
-                  )}
-                </div>
+                <div className="plate-caption-title">{displayTitle}</div>
+                {post.summary && (
+                  <div className="plate-caption-summary">{post.summary}</div>
+                )}
                 <div className="plate-caption-meta">
                   <span>{formatMonth(post.date)}</span>
-                  <span className="opacity-50 mx-1">·</span>
+                  <span className="plate-caption-sep" aria-hidden="true">·</span>
                   <span>{formatYear(post.date)}</span>
+                  <span className="plate-caption-sep" aria-hidden="true">·</span>
+                  <span>{post.reading_time} min</span>
                 </div>
               </div>
             </a>
diff --git a/frontend/src/pages/posts/[slug].astro b/frontend/src/pages/posts/[slug].astro
index 200e354..ede2331 100644
--- a/frontend/src/pages/posts/[slug].astro
+++ b/frontend/src/pages/posts/[slug].astro
@@ -28,19 +28,6 @@ function formatDate(d: string) {
   return new Date(d).toLocaleDateString('en-US', { year: 'numeric', month: 'long', day: 'numeric' });
 }
 
-function toRoman(n: number): string {
-  const map: [number, string][] = [
-    [1000, 'M'], [900, 'CM'], [500, 'D'], [400, 'CD'],
-    [100, 'C'], [90, 'XC'], [50, 'L'], [40, 'XL'],
-    [10, 'X'], [9, 'IX'], [5, 'V'], [4, 'IV'], [1, 'I'],
-  ];
-  let out = '';
-  for (const [val, sym] of map) {
-    while (n >= val) { out += sym; n -= val; }
-  }
-  return out;
-}
-
 function formatSlug(s: string) {
   if (!s) return '';
   return s.split('-').map(w => w.charAt(0).toUpperCase() + w.slice(1)).join(' ');
@@ -49,7 +36,7 @@ function formatSlug(s: string) {
 let post: PostDetail | null = null;
 let html = '';
 let error = '';
-let neighbors: { prev?: PostInfo; next?: PostInfo; index: number; total: number } = { index: -1, total: 0 };
+let neighbors: { prev?: PostInfo; next?: PostInfo } = {};
 
 try {
   const [postRes, listRes] = await Promise.all([
@@ -67,8 +54,6 @@ try {
     const i = list.findIndex(p => p.slug === slug);
     if (i >= 0) {
       neighbors = {
-        index: i,
-        total: list.length,
         prev: i > 0 ? list[i - 1] : undefined,
         next: i < list.length - 1 ? list[i + 1] : undefined,
       };
@@ -82,7 +67,6 @@ try {
 
 const isAdmin = Astro.cookies.get('admin_session')?.value === '1';
 const displayTitle = post ? (post.title || formatSlug(post.slug)) : 'Work';
-const exhibitNumber = neighbors.index >= 0 ? toRoman(neighbors.index + 1) : '';
 ---
 
 <Layout
@@ -123,12 +107,6 @@ const exhibitNumber = neighbors.index >= 0 ? toRoman(neighbors.index + 1) : '';
 
       {/* Plaque header */}
       <header class="max-w-3xl mx-auto text-center mb-12 md:mb-16">
-        {exhibitNumber && (
-          <div class="font-display italic text-[var(--mauve)] tracking-[0.3em] text-sm mb-5">
-            № {exhibitNumber} <span class="text-[var(--subtext0)] not-italic">/ {neighbors.total}</span>
-          </div>
-        )}
-
         <h1 class="font-display italic font-semibold text-[var(--text)] text-4xl md:text-6xl lg:text-7xl leading-[0.95] tracking-tight mb-6">
           {displayTitle}
         </h1>
diff --git a/frontend/src/styles/global.css b/frontend/src/styles/global.css
index 7eabefe..fee5552 100644
--- a/frontend/src/styles/global.css
+++ b/frontend/src/styles/global.css
@@ -553,46 +553,56 @@ code, pre, kbd, samp {
   filter: saturate(1.05) contrast(1.04);
 }
 .plate .plate-caption {
-  padding: 12px 4px 14px 4px;
+  padding: 14px 6px 16px 6px;
+  margin-top: 2px;
+  border-top: 1px solid color-mix(in srgb, var(--surface2) 50%, transparent);
   display: flex;
-  align-items: flex-end;
-  justify-content: space-between;
-  gap: 1rem;
+  flex-direction: column;
+  gap: 0.4rem;
 }
 .plate .plate-caption-title {
   font-family: var(--font-display);
   font-style: italic;
   font-weight: 500;
-  font-size: 1.05rem;
-  line-height: 1.2;
+  font-size: 1.18rem;
+  line-height: 1.18;
   color: var(--text);
   letter-spacing: -0.005em;
+  display: -webkit-box;
+  -webkit-line-clamp: 2;
+  -webkit-box-orient: vertical;
+  overflow: hidden;
+  transition: color 0.25s ease;
+}
+.plate:hover .plate-caption-title {
+  color: var(--mauve);
+}
+.plate .plate-caption-summary {
+  font-family: var(--font-sans);
+  font-style: italic;
+  font-size: 0.82rem;
+  line-height: 1.4;
+  color: var(--subtext0);
+  display: -webkit-box;
+  -webkit-line-clamp: 2;
+  -webkit-box-orient: vertical;
+  overflow: hidden;
 }
 .plate .plate-caption-meta {
   font-family: var(--font-sans);
-  font-size: 0.72rem;
+  font-size: 0.68rem;
   text-transform: uppercase;
-  letter-spacing: 0.18em;
+  letter-spacing: 0.22em;
   color: var(--subtext0);
   white-space: nowrap;
-  align-self: flex-start;
-  padding-top: 0.35rem;
+  display: flex;
+  align-items: center;
+  gap: 0.5rem;
+  padding-top: 0.25rem;
 }
-
-/* The little exhibit number stuck to the corner of a plate */
-.plate-tag {
-  position: absolute;
-  top: -10px;
-  left: 14px;
-  background: var(--mauve);
-  color: var(--rosewater);
-  font-family: var(--font-display);
-  font-size: 0.7rem;
-  font-weight: 600;
-  letter-spacing: 0.18em;
-  padding: 4px 8px;
-  text-transform: uppercase;
-  box-shadow: 0 2px 6px -2px rgba(20, 16, 12, 0.45);
+.plate .plate-caption-sep {
+  color: var(--mauve);
+  opacity: 0.55;
 }
 .plate-tag-mini {
   position: absolute;