Gian Giacomo Caprotti (Salai): The Silent Companion of Leonardo Gian Giacomo Caprotti, commonly known as Salai, remains an enigmatic figure in the annals of Renaissance art. Born around 1480 in Orano, Italy—a location shrouded in historical uncertainty—his life unfolded primarily within the orbit of Leonardo da Vinci’s workshop from approximately 1490 until his untimely death in 1524. Unlike many artists of his era who achieved fame t…