diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 59f0b59..79ad06d 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -5,6 +5,11 @@ Follows [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.0.0/) · versioned wi
 
 ---
 
+## [1.20.41] — 2026-08-19
+
+### Changed
+- **Character portraits and concept art now lazy-load.** Off-screen images no longer load all at once when large cast lists are opened.
+
 ## [1.20.40] — 2026-08-19
 
 ### Added
diff --git a/VERSION b/VERSION
index 3af842e..25a96bd 100644
--- a/VERSION
+++ b/VERSION
@@ -1 +1 @@
-1.20.40
+1.20.41
diff --git a/static/index.html b/static/index.html
index c80bc92..c47fcd7 100644
--- a/static/index.html
+++ b/static/index.html
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
   <meta name="format-detection" content="telephone=no">
   <meta name="color-scheme" content="light dark">
   <meta name="theme-color" content="#2563EB">
-  <meta name="app-version" content="1.20.40">
+  <meta name="app-version" content="1.20.41">
   <link rel="manifest" href="/manifest.webmanifest">
   <link rel="icon" href="/static/icon.svg" type="image/svg+xml">
   <link rel="apple-touch-icon" href="/static/icon.svg">
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
 
   <!-- ── Core styles (local — no CDN dependency for first paint) ────────── -->
   <link rel="stylesheet" href="/static/vendor/mdi/materialdesignicons.min.css">
-  <link rel="stylesheet" href="/static/style.css?v=1.20.40">
+  <link rel="stylesheet" href="/static/style.css?v=1.20.41">
 
 
   <!-- ── Flag icons — non-blocking (loaded async, icons appear after JS) ── -->
@@ -378,7 +378,7 @@ window.toggleNavTree = function(treeId, chevronId) {
 </script>
 
 <!-- loader.js: fetches sections → loads JS modules → removes skeleton -->
-<script src="/static/loader.js?v=1.20.40"></script>
+<script src="/static/loader.js?v=1.20.41"></script>
 
 </body>
 </html>
diff --git a/static/js/library-characters.js b/static/js/library-characters.js
index 45a4a18..381d150 100644
--- a/static/js/library-characters.js
+++ b/static/js/library-characters.js
@@ -951,7 +951,7 @@ function _charsTableHtml(chars, sortMode, sortDir) {
     const pct = score != null ? Math.max(0, Math.min(100, score)) : null;
     const tagList = String(rec.tags || '').split(',').map(function (t) { return t.trim(); }).filter(Boolean);
     const avatarInner = rec.image
-      ? '<img src="' + rec.image + '" alt="' + escHtml(rec.name) + '" style="width:100%;height:100%;object-fit:cover;border-radius:50%">'
+      ? '<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="' + rec.image + '" alt="' + escHtml(rec.name) + '" style="width:100%;height:100%;object-fit:cover;border-radius:50%">'
       : escHtml((rec.name || '?')[0].toUpperCase());
     const occupation = _libStr(sh.profession);
     const ageLabel = _charAgeLabel(sh);
@@ -1178,7 +1178,7 @@ async function _charDetailPage(rec, allChars, opts) {
 
   const avatarHtml = '<div class="lcd-avatar-wrap">'
     + (rec.image
-        ? '<div class="lcd-avatar lcd-avatar-upload" title="Profilbild öffnen"><img src="' + rec.image + '" alt="' + escHtml(rec.name) + '"></div>'
+        ? '<div class="lcd-avatar lcd-avatar-upload" title="Profilbild öffnen"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="' + rec.image + '" alt="' + escHtml(rec.name) + '"></div>'
         : '<div class="lcd-avatar lcd-avatar-upload" style="background:hsl(' + hue + ',55%,38%)" title="Profilbild öffnen">' + escHtml((rec.name || '?')[0].toUpperCase()) + '</div>')
     + '</div>';
 
@@ -1197,7 +1197,7 @@ async function _charDetailPage(rec, allChars, opts) {
     +   '</button>'
     + '</div>'
     + (sh.concept_art_image
-        ? '<div class="lcd-conceptart-img" title="Konzeptbild ansehen"><img src="' + sh.concept_art_image + '" alt="Concept art — ' + escHtml(rec.name) + '"></div>'
+        ? '<div class="lcd-conceptart-img" title="Konzeptbild ansehen"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="' + sh.concept_art_image + '" alt="Concept art — ' + escHtml(rec.name) + '"></div>'
         : '<div class="lcd-conceptart-empty' + (_libStr(sh.concept_art_prompt).trim() ? '' : ' is-noprompt') + '">'
           + '<span class="mdi mdi-image-frame"></span>'
           + '<span>' + (_libStr(sh.concept_art_prompt).trim() ? 'Kein Konzeptbild' : 'Kein Konzeptbild-Prompt — erst unten bei Generation Prompts erzeugen') + '</span>'
@@ -1594,7 +1594,7 @@ function _charDetailModal(rec, allChars) {
   const voiceId = rec.voice ? (typeof rec.voice === 'object' ? (rec.voice.id || '') : String(rec.voice)) : '';
 
   const avatarHtml = rec.image
-    ? '<div class="lcd-avatar"><img src="' + rec.image + '" alt="' + escHtml(rec.name) + '"></div>'
+    ? '<div class="lcd-avatar"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="' + rec.image + '" alt="' + escHtml(rec.name) + '"></div>'
     : '<div class="lcd-avatar" style="background:hsl(' + hue + ',55%,38%)">' + escHtml((rec.name || '?')[0].toUpperCase()) + '</div>';
 
   const alignHtml = pct != null ? (