diff --git a/include/hexagram/window.h b/include/hexagram/window.h
index 5f67dde..c0572cb 100644
--- a/include/hexagram/window.h
+++ b/include/hexagram/window.h
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@
 
 #include <X11/Xlib.h>
 
+#include <cairo.h>
+
 #define HEXAGRAM_WINDOW_EVENT_MASK (ButtonMotionMask  | ButtonPressMask | \
                                     ButtonReleaseMask | ExposureMask    | \
                                     StructureNotifyMask)
@@ -16,10 +18,14 @@ hexagram_window *hexagram_window_new_x11(const char *display,
                                          unsigned int width,
                                          unsigned int height);
 
+void hexagram_window_destroy(hexagram_window *window);
+
 int hexagram_window_get_display_fd(hexagram_window *window);
 
 int hexagram_window_show(hexagram_window *window);
 
-void hexagram_window_destroy(hexagram_window *window);
+cairo_t *hexagram_window_create_bg_context(hexagram_window *window);
+
+cairo_t *hexagram_window_create_fg_context(hexagram_window *window);
 
 #endif /* _HEXAGRAM_WINDOW_H */
diff --git a/src/Makefile b/src/Makefile
index c47ca6b..16c6034 100644
--- a/src/Makefile
+++ b/src/Makefile
@@ -4,8 +4,8 @@ INCLUDE_PATH	= ../include
 HEADER_SUBDIR	= hexagram
 
 CC		= $(CROSS)cc
-CFLAGS		+= -fPIC -I$(INCLUDE_PATH)
-LDFLAGS		=
+CFLAGS		+= -fPIC -I$(INCLUDE_PATH) $(shell pkg-config --cflags cairo x11)
+LDFLAGS		= $(shell pkg-config --libs cairo x11) -lXext
 
 HEADERS		= dict.h hash.h can.h capture.h pcapng.h module.h window.h sim.h
 HEADERS_LOCAL	= util.h
diff --git a/src/window.c b/src/window.c
index b578b3e..3dafa2c 100644
--- a/src/window.c
+++ b/src/window.c
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 #include <X11/Xlib.h>
 #include <X11/extensions/Xdbe.h>
+#include <cairo-xlib.h>
 
 #include <hexagram/window.h>
 
@@ -25,6 +26,9 @@ struct _hexagram_window {
 
     XdbeBackBuffer buf;
     XdbeSwapInfo   swapinfo;
+
+    cairo_surface_t *surface_bg,
+                    *surface_fg;
 };
 
 hexagram_window *hexagram_window_new_x11(const char *display,
@@ -90,8 +94,40 @@ hexagram_window *hexagram_window_new_x11(const char *display,
         goto error_x_create_gc;
     }
 
+    if ((window->surface_bg = cairo_xlib_surface_create(window->display,
+                                                        window->bg,
+                                                        DefaultVisual(window->display,
+                                                                      window->screen),
+                                                        width,
+                                                        height)) == NULL) {
+        goto error_cairo_xlib_surface_create_bg;
+    }
+
+    cairo_xlib_surface_set_size(window->surface_bg,
+                                window->width,
+                                window->height);
+
+    if ((window->surface_fg = cairo_xlib_surface_create(window->display,
+                                                        window->buf,
+                                                        DefaultVisual(window->display,
+                                                                      window->screen),
+                                                        width,
+                                                        height)) == NULL) {
+        goto error_cairo_xlib_surface_create_fg;
+    }
+
+    cairo_xlib_surface_set_size(window->surface_fg,
+                                window->width,
+                                window->height);
+
     return window;
 
+error_cairo_xlib_surface_create_fg:
+    cairo_surface_destroy(window->surface_bg);
+
+error_cairo_xlib_surface_create_bg:
+    (void)XFreeGC(window->display, window->gc);
+
 error_x_create_gc:
     (void)XFreePixmap(window->display, window->bg);
         
@@ -113,6 +149,22 @@ error_malloc_window:
     return NULL;
 }
 
+void hexagram_window_destroy(hexagram_window *window) {
+    cairo_surface_destroy(window->surface_fg);
+    cairo_surface_destroy(window->surface_bg);
+
+    (void)XFreeGC(window->display, window->gc);
+
+    (void)XFreePixmap(window->display, window->bg);
+
+    if (window->buf != window->win) {
+        (void)XdbeDeallocateBackBufferName(window->display, window->buf);
+    }
+
+    (void)XUnmapWindow(window->display, window->win);
+    (void)XDestroyWindow(window->display, window->win);
+}
+
 int hexagram_window_show(hexagram_window *window) {
     if (XSelectInput(window->display, window->win,
             ExposureMask | ButtonPressMask | KeyPressMask) == 0) {
@@ -129,14 +181,10 @@ error_x:
     return -1;
 }
 
-void hexagram_window_destroy(hexagram_window *window) {
-    (void)XFreeGC(window->display, window->gc);
-
-    (void)XFreePixmap(window->display, window->bg);
-
-    if (window->buf != window->win) {
-        (void)XdbeDeallocateBackBufferName(window->display, window->buf);
-    }
-
-    XUnmapWindow(window->display, window->win);
+cairo_t *hexagram_window_create_bg_context(hexagram_window *window) {
+    return cairo_create(window->surface_bg);
+}
+
+cairo_t *hexagram_window_create_fg_context(hexagram_window *window) {
+    return cairo_create(window->surface_fg);
 }