diff --git a/ARCHITECTURE.md b/ARCHITECTURE.md
index b801cbc..6de3c2f 100644
--- a/ARCHITECTURE.md
+++ b/ARCHITECTURE.md
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ solitaire_quest/
 │
 ├── assets/                     # Assets embedded at compile time via include_bytes!()
 │   ├── cards/
-│   │   ├── faces/face.png      # placeholder (16×16 cream/ivory)
+│   │   ├── faces/{rank}_{suit}.png  # 52 individual card faces (120×168, generated by solitaire_assetgen)
 │   │   └── backs/back_0.png – back_4.png    # placeholder patterns
 │   ├── backgrounds/bg_0.png – bg_4.png      # placeholder textures
 │   ├── fonts/main.ttf          # FiraMono-Medium (170K, OFL)
@@ -292,8 +292,8 @@ struct SettingsResource(Settings);
 
 // Pre-loaded card face and back PNG handles
 struct CardImageSet {
-    face: Handle<Image>,            // shared face image for all face-up cards
-    backs: [Handle<Image>; 5],      // indexed by selected_card_back setting
+    faces: [[Handle<Image>; 13]; 4], // [suit][rank]: Clubs=0..Spades=3, Ace=0..King=12
+    backs: [Handle<Image>; 5],       // indexed by selected_card_back setting
 }
 
 // Project-wide font handle (FiraMono-Medium embedded at compile time)
@@ -772,7 +772,7 @@ Audio systems listen for Bevy events and never block the game thread.
 
 ### Rendering approach
 
-Cards are Bevy `Sprite` entities with `Handle<Image>` from `CardImageSet`. Face-up cards use `face.png` (a single shared image). Face-down cards use `backs/back_N.png` indexed by `settings.selected_card_back`. `Text2d` labels are still overlaid for rank and suit symbols. `CardImageSet` is populated at startup from `include_bytes!()` — no `AssetServer`.
+Cards are Bevy `Sprite` entities with `Handle<Image>` from `CardImageSet`. Face-up cards use one of 52 individual face PNGs selected by `faces[suit][rank]` — rank and suit are baked into each image and no `Text2d` overlay is spawned. Face-down cards use `backs/back_N.png` indexed by `settings.selected_card_back`. `Text2d` labels are only used as a fallback when `CardImageSet` is absent (e.g. tests with `MinimalPlugins`). `CardImageSet` is populated at startup from `include_bytes!()` — no `AssetServer`.
 
 Backgrounds are Bevy `Sprite` entities with `Handle<Image>` from `BackgroundImageSet`. `BackgroundImageSet` is populated at startup from `include_bytes!()`.
 
@@ -783,7 +783,7 @@ The `assets/` directory layout:
 ```
 assets/
 ├── cards/
-│   ├── faces/face.png          # placeholder (16×16 cream/ivory)
+│   ├── faces/{rank}_{suit}.png  # 52 individual card faces (120×168, generated by solitaire_assetgen)
 │   └── backs/back_0.png – back_4.png    # placeholder patterns
 ├── backgrounds/bg_0.png – bg_4.png      # placeholder textures
 ├── fonts/main.ttf              # FiraMono-Medium (170K, OFL)
@@ -809,13 +809,6 @@ All sound effect WAV files are embedded at compile time via `include_bytes!()` i
 | `win_fanfare.wav` | Game won |
 | `ambient_loop.wav` | Looping background music |
 
-### Future art pass
-
-The placeholder PNG files can be replaced with real artwork without any code changes — just drop in new PNGs and rebuild. The texture atlas approach described below is still the recommended upgrade path for card faces:
-- Use a texture atlas (`assets/cards/atlas.png` + layout descriptor) for card faces
-- Individual PNGs for card backs and backgrounds (5 each)
-- All assets remain embedded via `include_bytes!()` to keep the binary self-contained
-
 ---
 
 ## 15. Platform Targets