Subsidiary's Publishing Agreement with the Vatican

Quarto Group Inc
20 March 2000


           WORLDWIDE EXCLUSIVE PUBLISHING AGREEMENT
              FOR QUARTO FROM THE VATICAN LIBRARY
                               
One  of  the  world's oldest and most important  libraries  is
cashing  in  on its hitherto undeveloped commercial potential.
The  Vatican Library (or Biblioteca Apolstolica Vaticana 'BAV'
as  it  is properly known) was founded by Pope Nicholas  V  in
1451  and  rapidly  grew as it became the repository  for  the
items  that were saved from Constantinople at the time of  the
fall of the Byzantine Emperor.  Since then, lovingly cherished
and   subject  of  important  benefactions,  it  contains   an
unrivalled archive of material covering the last 2000 years of
history.    The   library  includes  important   non-Christian
treasures,  from the orient and the Muslim world, as  well  as
priceless  items of Christian and Western interest,  including
works  from  such  masters  as Bernini,  Botticelli,  Galileo,
Michelangelo and Ptomely.  Hitherto, the public  has  not  had
access to these rare treasures.

This  is  just about to change.  The Quarto Group, the London-
based  and  listed  publisher,  is  pleased  to  announce  the
completion  by  its  Art  Publishing  Group  subsidiary  of  a
worldwide  exclusive agreement to publish fine art  prints  in
open  and  limited editions from the archive  of  the  Vatican
Library.   The  Art  Publishing  Group  will  develop  special
collections  featuring direct reproductions  and  interpretive
works  from  the Library consistent with the high quality  and
unique  proprietary nature of the archives.  The BAV  contains
almost  two  million  printed works and over  100,000  prints,
engravings, drawings and maps.

Doree Dunlap of 1451 International, Ltd., the licensing arm of
the  Vatican Library, said, 'It is almost unimaginable that  a
collection this exceptional is still private in the year 2000.
Its  unveiling  marks  an  extraordinary  moment  in  art  and
cultural history.  The fact that the Vatican Library's archive
is so exclusive made the search for a poster and print partner
to  work  with that much more exacting and crucial.   The  Art
Publishing  Group  shares  our  high  sense  of  integrity  in
offering  the  historical  contents  of  the  Library  to  the
contemporary world.'

Laurence Orbach, Quarto's Chairman, stated 'We look forward to
bringing this historically significant collection to the  eyes
of  the  world.   The Art Publishing Group has many  years  of
combined  publishing  experience, and  a  collective  pool  of
talent  to  develop  this very special  art  collection.   The
agreement with the Vatican Library is a major coup for the Art
Publishing   Group.   It  fits  in  with   our   strategy   of
strengthening the publishing programmes in our art  publishing
businesses  and  creating exclusive, and in  this  case  truly
classic, images.'

Enquiries:

The Quarto Group, Inc.                           0171-700 9000
  Terry Hancock (Chief Operating Officer)        0171-700 9015
  Email: [e-mail]

Bankside Consultants Limited                     0171-220 7477
  Charles Ponsonby
  Email: [e-mail]