Salai

Salai is a term with several uses, but it is best known in art history as the nickname of Gian Giacomo Caprotti da Oreno (c. 1480–1524), an Italian painter who was a pupil and long-time assistant of Leonardo da Vinci. The nickname Salai, whose origin is unclear, appears in most portraits and documents referring to Caprotti.

Salai joined Leonardo's workshop around 1490 as a young apprentice and remained for about three decades. In addition to copying and learning from his master, he served as a model, assistant, and collaborator on various projects. Historical accounts describe him as charming and brilliant, yet prone to mischief and opportunism, and he features prominently in discussions of Leonardo's studio culture. The exact extent of Salai's contributions to Leonardo's works is a matter of scholarly debate; some drawings and paintings attributed to Leonardo or his circle are thought to bear Salai's hand or influence.

After Leonardo's final Milan years, Salai's later life is less well documented, and the details of his death are uncertain. Nonetheless, the figure remains a focal point for studies of Renaissance workshop practices, apprenticeship, and the social dynamics within Leonardo's studio.

Beyond this person, Salai can be encountered as a name in other contexts, including as a toponym or in regional nomenclature, but such uses are far less prominent in historical and contemporary reference works.