A “penitent Magdalene” by Salai, Leonardo da Vinci’s main collaborator, will be auctioned on November 18 in Paris, after the revelation of its existence, announced a French expert.
Few paintings by Salai are known, such as the “Christ the Redeemer”, kept in the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana in Milan. The rest are in private collections.
Gian Giacomo Caprotti, known as Salai (1480-1524), was Leonardo da Vinci’s main collaborator: he was his student, assistant, model, treasurer, agent and lover. The Renaissance master would have given the nickname, synonymous with “little devil”, because he had a habit of lying and stealing.
“This picture is a real find. The owner, who bought it for a modest sum, entrusted the painting to us for sale. It arrived without assignment. Cristina Geddo, a renowned specialist from the 15th century Lombard period, revealed to us that she belonged to Salai, ”said specialist Eric Turquin to AFP.
The table is priced between 100,000 and 150,000 euros (116,000 and 174,000 dollars).
