diff --git a/js/imgGallery.js b/js/imgGallery.js
index 24b64c6..1086d01 100644
--- a/js/imgGallery.js
+++ b/js/imgGallery.js
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@ galleryContainer = document.getElementById("galleryContainer");
 galleryImage = document.getElementById("galleryImage");
 previewLinks = document.getElementsByClassName("previewLink");
 headerImage = document.getElementById("headerImage");
+loadingImage = new Image()
+loadingImage.src = "/loading.gif"
 
 touchDragThreshold = 50;
 directionDetermined = false;
@@ -16,13 +18,25 @@ touchDirection = null;
 // changes to style.rotate are necessary because transformed elements
 // get stuck in front of the gallery images
 
+function loadImage () {
+  image = new Image();
+  image.src = "/compressed/compressed_" + photos[viewState];
+  timeout = window.setTimeout(function () {
+    galleryImage.src = loadImage.src;
+  }, 400)
+  image.onload = function () {
+    window.clearTimeout(timeout);
+    galleryImage.fullRes = photos[viewState];
+    galleryImage.src = image.src;
+  }
+}
+
 function enlargeImage (filename) {
   viewState = photos.indexOf(filename);
-  galleryImage.fullRes = filename;
-  galleryImage.src = "/compressed/compressed_" + filename;
   galleryContainer.style.display = "block";
   document.body.style = "overflow:hidden;"
   headerImage.style.rotate = "none";
+  loadImage()
 };
 
 function delGallery () {
@@ -37,8 +51,7 @@ function nextImage () {
   if (viewState == previewLinks.length) {
     viewState = 0;  
   };
-  galleryImage.fullRes = photos[viewState];
-  galleryImage.src = "/compressed/compressed_" + photos[viewState];
+  loadImage()
 };
 
 function prevImage () {
@@ -46,8 +59,7 @@ function prevImage () {
   if (viewState == -1) {
     viewState = previewLinks.length - 1;
   };
-  galleryImage.fullRes = photos[viewState];
-  galleryImage.src = "/compressed/compressed_" + photos[viewState];
+  loadImage()
 };
 
 function imageNewTab () {
diff --git a/metadata.json b/metadata.json
index f0aa98e..53d11b2 100644
--- a/metadata.json
+++ b/metadata.json
@@ -253,9 +253,9 @@
         "cover": "IMG_9135.JPEG"
     },
     "Molossia": {
-	"title": "The Republic of Molossia",
-	"state": "Molossia",
-	"cover": "20240622_102605.jpg",
-	"story_time": 1745571443
+        "title": "The Republic of Molossia",
+        "state": "Molossia",
+        "cover": "20240622_102605.jpg",
+        "story_time": 1745571443
     }
 }