diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 5ca09b1..3147a7f 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ OBJS = fped.o expr.o coord.o obj.o delete.o inst.o util.o error.o \
 
 XPMS = point.xpm delete.xpm delete_off.xpm \
        vec.xpm frame.xpm frame_locked.xpm frame_ready.xpm \
-       line.xpm rect.xpm pad.xpm rpad.xpm circ.xpm \
+       line.xpm rect.xpm pad.xpm rpad.xpm arc.xpm circ.xpm \
        meas.xpm meas_x.xpm meas_y.xpm \
        stuff.xpm stuff_off.xpm meas_off.xpm \
        bright.xpm bright_off.xpm all.xpm all_off.xpm
diff --git a/gui_status.c b/gui_status.c
index d6da674..2aa0d56 100644
--- a/gui_status.c
+++ b/gui_status.c
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ static GtkWidget *last_edit = NULL;
 /* ----- setter functions -------------------------------------------------- */
 
 
+static GtkWidget *status_icon;
 static GtkWidget *status_name, *status_entry;
 static GtkWidget *status_type_x, *status_type_y, *status_type_entry;
 static GtkWidget *status_box_x, *status_entry_y;
@@ -144,6 +145,15 @@ void set_with_units(void (*set)(const char *fmt, ...), const char *prefix,
 /* ----- complex status updates -------------------------------------------- */
 
 
+void status_set_icon(GtkWidget *image)
+{
+	vacate_widget(status_icon);
+	if (image)
+		gtk_container_add(GTK_CONTAINER(status_icon), image);
+	gtk_widget_show_all(status_icon);
+}
+
+
 void status_set_xy(struct coord coord)
 {
 	/* do dX/dY etc. stuff later */
@@ -920,9 +930,19 @@ static GtkWidget *add_entry(GtkWidget *tab, int col, int row)
 void make_status_area(GtkWidget *vbox)
 {
 	GtkWidget *tab, *sep;
+	GtkWidget *hbox, *vbox2;
+
+	hbox = gtk_hbox_new(FALSE, 0);
+	gtk_box_pack_start(GTK_BOX(vbox), hbox, FALSE, TRUE, 0);
+
+	vbox2 = gtk_vbox_new(FALSE, 0);
+	gtk_box_pack_start(GTK_BOX(hbox), vbox2, FALSE, FALSE, 1);
+
+	status_icon = gtk_event_box_new();
+	gtk_box_pack_start(GTK_BOX(vbox2), status_icon, FALSE, FALSE, 0);
 
 	tab = gtk_table_new(7, 3, FALSE);
-	gtk_box_pack_start(GTK_BOX(vbox), tab, FALSE, TRUE, 0);
+	gtk_box_pack_start(GTK_BOX(hbox), tab, TRUE, TRUE, 0);
 
 	/* types */
 
diff --git a/gui_status.h b/gui_status.h
index e137b77..133c6b4 100644
--- a/gui_status.h
+++ b/gui_status.h
@@ -84,6 +84,7 @@ void status_set_grid(const char *fmt, ...)
 void status_set_unit(const char *fmt, ...)
     __attribute__((format(printf, 1, 2)));
 
+void status_set_icon(GtkWidget *image);
 void status_set_xy(struct coord coord);
 void status_set_angle_xy(struct coord v);
 
diff --git a/gui_tool.c b/gui_tool.c
index 148019f..c3d16ff 100644
--- a/gui_tool.c
+++ b/gui_tool.c
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 
 #include "util.h"
 #include "inst.h"
+#include "meas.h"
 #include "obj.h"
 #include "gui_util.h"
 #include "gui_style.h"
@@ -30,6 +31,7 @@
 #include "gui_tool.h"
 
 
+#include "icons/arc.xpm"
 #include "icons/circ.xpm"
 #include "icons/frame.xpm"
 #include "icons/frame_locked.xpm"
@@ -977,6 +979,61 @@ void tool_redraw(void)
 }
 
 
+/* ----- Retrieve icons by instance characteristics ------------------------ */
+
+
+GtkWidget *get_icon_by_inst(const struct inst *inst)
+{
+	char **image;
+
+	switch (inst->prio) {
+	case ip_frame:
+		image = xpm_frame;
+		break;
+	case ip_pad_copper:
+	case ip_pad_special:
+		image = inst->obj->u.pad.rounded ? xpm_rpad : xpm_pad;
+		break;
+	case ip_circ:
+		image = xpm_circ;
+		break;
+	case ip_arc:
+		image = xpm_arc;
+		break;
+	case ip_rect:
+		image = xpm_rect;
+		break;
+	case ip_meas:
+		switch (inst->obj->u.meas.type) {
+		case mt_xy_next:
+		case mt_xy_max:
+			image = xpm_meas;
+			break;
+		case mt_x_next:
+		case mt_x_max:
+			image = xpm_meas_x;
+			break;
+		case mt_y_next:
+		case mt_y_max:
+			image = xpm_meas_y;
+			break;
+		default:
+			abort();
+		}
+		break;
+	case ip_line:
+		image = xpm_line;
+		break;
+	case ip_vec:
+		image = xpm_vec;
+		break;
+	default:
+		abort();
+	}
+	return make_image(DA, image);
+}
+
+
 /* ----- tool bar creation ------------------------------------------------- */
 
 
diff --git a/gui_tool.h b/gui_tool.h
index 05e1705..1ec6c3b 100644
--- a/gui_tool.h
+++ b/gui_tool.h
@@ -74,6 +74,8 @@ void tool_frame_deleted(const struct frame *frame);
 
 void tool_selected_inst(struct inst *inst);
 
+GtkWidget *get_icon_by_inst(const struct inst *inst);
+
 void tool_reset(void);
 
 GtkWidget *gui_setup_tools(GdkDrawable *drawable);
diff --git a/inst.c b/inst.c
index 6fa992e..92e140c 100644
--- a/inst.c
+++ b/inst.c
@@ -158,6 +158,7 @@ static void inst_select_inst(struct inst *inst)
 	gui_frame_select_inst(inst);
 	if (inst->ops->select)
 		selected_inst->ops->select(inst);
+	status_set_icon(get_icon_by_inst(inst));
 }
 
 
@@ -396,6 +397,7 @@ void inst_deselect(void)
 	selected_inst = NULL;
 	edit_nothing();
 	refresh_pos();
+	status_set_icon(NULL);
 }
 
 
@@ -536,6 +538,7 @@ static struct inst *add_inst(const struct inst_ops *ops, enum inst_prio prio,
 
 	inst = alloc_type(struct inst);
 	inst->ops = ops;
+	inst->prio = prio;
 	inst->vec = NULL;
 	inst->obj = NULL;
 	inst->base = inst->bbox.min = inst->bbox.max = base;
diff --git a/inst.h b/inst.h
index 94a34aa..ead6f00 100644
--- a/inst.h
+++ b/inst.h
@@ -73,6 +73,7 @@ struct inst_ops {
 
 struct inst {
 	const struct inst_ops *ops;
+	enum inst_prio prio; /* currently only used for icon selection */
 	struct coord base;
 	struct bbox bbox;
 	struct vec *vec; /* NULL if not vector */