THE MISSING NAIL 

A short ironic film about a Missing Nail in the iconography of Christ and his depiction in da Vinci’s painting of The Last Supper. Nails are undoubtedly the strongest and most pertinent artefact in the story of Christ’s death. Nominally there are three, perhaps four, that nailed Christ to the Cross through his hands and feet. But curiously we might mention a fifth nail whose evidence of existence is in what - without a doubt – is the most famous painting of The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci in Milan. This is the nail on which the whole extraordinary painting of so many significances literally hangs. It is the nail that creates the composition, balance, perspective, gravitas and significance of this extraordinary painting. 

 Where is that nail now over five hundred years after the painting was completed and nearly two thousand years after Christ’s crucifixion? It might surprise you to know that it is securely housed in a safe in Jerusalem and that Peter Greenaway claims to hold the key. 

The music for film of the The Missing Nail was composed by Marco Robino and performed and recorded by The Architorti Quintet who are based in Turin. The narrative is a short tale on paper converted into a libretto to be used as the text for an oratorio offered to Marco Robino to be used as he wished to turn into a live musical performance which has been performed before many audiences in Italy including Venice, Milan and Rome, with Peter Greenaway voicing the text. It looks forward to repeat the performance at future venues.