Hello Wolfgang,
\definelayer[...][...,state=continue,...]
I tried that before I posted my question but that didn't work. See below a minimal sample. I am using ConTeXt ver: 2009.10.02 13:14 MKIV and also tried it with ConTeXt ver: 2009.11.02 21:31 MKIV. best regards Wolfgang Murth % Minimal Sample \language[de] \mainlanguage[de] \setuplayout[ header=0.5cm, footer=1cm, width=16.5cm, height=22.7cm, topspace=3.8cm, leftmargindistance=2mm ] \startstandardmakeup \raggedcenter \vskip 0cm \definedfont[Bold sa 2]\setstrut \strut This is the titlepage\\ \vfill \stopstandardmakeup \starttext \useexternalfigure[headpict][cow.pdf][height=2cm] \useexternalfigure[footpict][cow.pdf][height=2cm] \definelayer[imgtopbot] [width=\paperwidth, height=\paperheight, x=0cm, y=0cm, frame=off, state=continue ] \setlayerframed[imgtopbot][voffset=0.5cm,frame=off] {\externalfigure[headpict]} \setlayerframed[imgtopbot][voffset=26.5cm,frame=off] {\externalfigure[footpict]} \setupbackgrounds[page][background=imgtopbot] \chapter{first} \dorecurse{10}{\input tufte } \chapter{second} \dorecurse{10}{\input davis } \chapter{third} \dorecurse{10}{\input zapf } \chapter{fourth} \dorecurse{10}{\input bryson } \stoptext