diff --git a/NEWS.md b/NEWS.md
index 50a001b61..b7536605d 100644
--- a/NEWS.md
+++ b/NEWS.md
@@ -5,6 +5,9 @@ rearrangements of Notcurses.
   * `ncplane_rgba()` has been deprecated in favor of the new function
     `ncplane_as_rgba()`, which the former now wraps. It will be removed
     in ABI3. The new function can report the synthesized pixel geometry.
+  * `ncplane_pixelgeom()` has been added, allowing callers to determine the
+    size of the plane and cells in pixels, as well as the maximum bitmap
+    size that can be displayed.
 
 * 2.2.5 (2021-04-04)
   * Bugfix release, no user-visible changes.
diff --git a/USAGE.md b/USAGE.md
index 4d14e1738..be8156470 100644
--- a/USAGE.md
+++ b/USAGE.md
@@ -233,7 +233,6 @@ notcurses_stddim_yx_const(const struct notcurses* nc, int* restrict y, int* rest
   ncplane_dim_yx(s, y, x); // accepts NULL
   return s;
 }
-
 ```
 
 A reference to the standard plane *is* persistent across a screen resize, as are
@@ -908,6 +907,16 @@ ncplane_dim_x(const struct ncplane* n){
   return dimx;
 }
 
+// Retrieve pixel geometry for the display region ('pxy', 'pxx'), each cell
+// ('celldimy', 'celldimx'), and the maximum displayable bitmap ('maxbmapy',
+// 'maxbmapx'). Note that this will call notcurses_check_pixel_support(),
+// possibly leading to an interrogation of the terminal. If bitmaps are not
+// supported, 'maxbmapy' and 'maxbmapx' will be 0. Any of the geometry
+// arguments may be NULL.
+void ncplane_pixelgeom(struct ncplane* n, int* restrict pxy, int* restrict pxx,
+                       int* restrict celldimy, int* restrict celldimx,
+                       int* restrict maxbmapy, int* restrict maxbmapx);
+
 // provided a coordinate relative to the origin of 'src', map it to the same
 // absolute coordinate relative to the origin of 'dst'. either or both of 'y'
 // and 'x' may be NULL. if 'dst' is NULL, it is taken to be the standard plane.
diff --git a/doc/man/man3/notcurses_plane.3.md b/doc/man/man3/notcurses_plane.3.md
index 40575c3b8..abb669fa1 100644
--- a/doc/man/man3/notcurses_plane.3.md
+++ b/doc/man/man3/notcurses_plane.3.md
@@ -198,6 +198,8 @@ typedef struct ncplane_options {
 
 **int ncplane_rotate_ccw(struct ncplane* ***n***);**
 
+**void ncplane_pixelgeom(struct notcurses* ***n***, int* restrict ***pxy***, int* restrict ***pxx***, int* restrict ***celldimy***, int* restrict ***celldimx***, int* restrict ***maxbmapy***, int* restrict ***maxbmapx***);**
+
 ## DESCRIPTION
 
 Ncplanes are the fundamental drawing object of notcurses. All output functions
@@ -349,6 +351,15 @@ last row is cleared, and output begins at the beginning of the last row. This
 does not take place until output is generated (i.e. it is possible to fill a
 plane when scrolling is enabled).
 
+**ncplane_pixelgeom** retrieves pixel geometry details. **pxy** and **pxx**
+return the size of the plane in pixels. **celldimy** and **celldimx** return
+the size of a cell in pixels (these ought be the same across planes).
+**maxbmapy** and **maxbmapx** describe the largest bitmap which can be
+displayed in the plane. This function transitively calls
+**notcurses_check_pixel_support**, possibly leading to terminal interrogation
+(see **notcurses_capabilities(3)** for why this may be undesirable). Any
+parameter (save **n**) may be **NULL**.
+
 # RETURN VALUES
 
 **ncplane_create** and **ncplane_dup** return a new **struct ncplane** on
@@ -393,6 +404,7 @@ It should not be used in new code.
 # SEE ALSO
 
 **notcurses(3)**,
+**notcurses_capabilities(3)**,
 **notcurses_cell(3)**,
 **notcurses_output(3)**,
 **notcurses_stdplane(3)**,
diff --git a/include/notcurses/notcurses.h b/include/notcurses/notcurses.h
index 4932b0ee5..7685d92c8 100644
--- a/include/notcurses/notcurses.h
+++ b/include/notcurses/notcurses.h
@@ -1114,6 +1114,17 @@ ncplane_dim_x(const struct ncplane* n){
   return dimx;
 }
 
+// Retrieve pixel geometry for the display region ('pxy', 'pxx'), each cell
+// ('celldimy', 'celldimx'), and the maximum displayable bitmap ('maxbmapy',
+// 'maxbmapx'). Note that this will call notcurses_check_pixel_support(),
+// possibly leading to an interrogation of the terminal. If bitmaps are not
+// supported, 'maxbmapy' and 'maxbmapx' will be 0. Any of the geometry
+// arguments may be NULL.
+API void ncplane_pixelgeom(struct ncplane* n, int* RESTRICT pxy, int* RESTRICT pxx,
+                           int* RESTRICT celldimy, int* RESTRICT celldimx,
+                           int* RESTRICT maxbmapy, int* RESTRICT maxbmapx)
+  __attribute__ ((nonnull (1)));
+
 // Return our current idea of the terminal dimensions in rows and cols.
 static inline void
 notcurses_term_dim_yx(const struct notcurses* n, int* RESTRICT rows, int* RESTRICT cols){
@@ -1193,7 +1204,7 @@ API int (*ncplane_resizecb(const struct ncplane* n))(struct ncplane*);
 // The standard plane cannot be reparented. Any planes bound to 'n' are
 // reparented to the previous parent of 'n'.
 API struct ncplane* ncplane_reparent(struct ncplane* n, struct ncplane* newparent)
-  __attribute__ ((nonnull(1, 2)));
+  __attribute__ ((nonnull (1, 2)));
 
 // The same as ncplane_reparent(), except any planes bound to 'n' come along
 // with it to its new destination. Their z-order is maintained. If 'newparent'
@@ -1307,16 +1318,16 @@ typedef struct ncstats {
 // Allocate an ncstats object. Use this rather than allocating your own, since
 // future versions of Notcurses might enlarge this structure.
 API ALLOC ncstats* notcurses_stats_alloc(const struct notcurses* nc)
-  __attribute__ ((nonnull(1)));
+  __attribute__ ((nonnull (1)));
 
 // Acquire an atomic snapshot of the Notcurses object's stats.
 API void notcurses_stats(struct notcurses* nc, ncstats* stats)
-  __attribute__ ((nonnull(1, 2)));
+  __attribute__ ((nonnull (1, 2)));
 
 // Reset all cumulative stats (immediate ones, such as fbbytes, are not reset),
 // first copying them into |*stats| (if |stats| is not NULL).
 API void notcurses_stats_reset(struct notcurses* nc, ncstats* stats)
-  __attribute__ ((nonnull(1)));
+  __attribute__ ((nonnull (1)));
 
 // Resize the specified ncplane. The four parameters 'keepy', 'keepx',
 // 'keepleny', and 'keeplenx' define a subset of the ncplane to keep,
diff --git a/src/lib/notcurses.c b/src/lib/notcurses.c
index 86b21c3ab..b7e21368b 100644
--- a/src/lib/notcurses.c
+++ b/src/lib/notcurses.c
@@ -2718,3 +2718,42 @@ int ncstrwidth(const char* mbs){
   }while(*mbs);
   return cols;
 }
+
+void ncplane_pixelgeom(ncplane* n, int* RESTRICT pxy, int* RESTRICT pxx,
+                       int* RESTRICT celldimy, int* RESTRICT celldimx,
+                       int* RESTRICT maxbmapy, int* RESTRICT maxbmapx){
+  notcurses* nc = ncplane_notcurses(n);
+  if(celldimy){
+    *celldimy = nc->tcache.cellpixy;
+  }
+  if(celldimx){
+    *celldimx = nc->tcache.cellpixx;
+  }
+  if(pxy){
+    *pxy = nc->tcache.cellpixy * ncplane_dim_y(n);
+  }
+  if(pxx){
+    *pxx = nc->tcache.cellpixx * ncplane_dim_x(n);
+  }
+  if(notcurses_check_pixel_support(nc) > 0){
+    if(maxbmapy){
+      *maxbmapy = nc->tcache.cellpixy * ncplane_dim_y(n);
+      if(*maxbmapy > nc->tcache.sixel_maxy && nc->tcache.sixel_maxy){
+        *maxbmapy = nc->tcache.sixel_maxy;
+      }
+    }
+    if(maxbmapx){
+      *maxbmapx = nc->tcache.cellpixx * ncplane_dim_x(n);
+      if(*maxbmapx > nc->tcache.sixel_maxx && nc->tcache.sixel_maxx){
+        *maxbmapx = nc->tcache.sixel_maxx;
+      }
+    }
+  }else{
+    if(maxbmapy){
+      *maxbmapy = 0;
+    }
+    if(maxbmapx){
+      *maxbmapx = 0;
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/lib/render.c b/src/lib/render.c
index b0bdce42e..623981992 100644
--- a/src/lib/render.c
+++ b/src/lib/render.c
@@ -1328,11 +1328,15 @@ int ncpile_render(ncplane* n){
 }
 
 int notcurses_render(notcurses* nc){
+//fprintf(stderr, "--------------- BEGIN RENDER\n");
+notcurses_debug(nc, stderr);
   ncplane* stdn = notcurses_stdplane(nc);
   if(ncpile_render(stdn)){
     return -1;
   }
-  return(ncpile_rasterize(stdn));
+  int i = ncpile_rasterize(stdn);
+//fprintf(stderr, "----------------- END RENDER\n");
+  return i;
 }
 
 // for now, we just run the top half of notcurses_render(), and copy out the