Editing Black (section)

===Postclassical===
In the early Middle Ages, black was commonly associated with darkness and evil. In Medieval paintings, the devil was usually depicted as having human form, but with wings and black skin or hair.<ref>Stefano Zuffi, ''Color in Art'', p. 272.</ref>

====12th and 13th centuries====
In fashion, black did not have the prestige of red, the color of the nobility. It was worn by [[Benedictine]] monks as a sign of humility and penitence. In the 12th century a famous theological dispute broke out between the [[Cistercian]] monks, who wore white, and the Benedictines, who wore black. A Benedictine abbot, Pierre the Venerable, accused the Cistercians of excessive pride in wearing white instead of black. Saint [[Bernard of Clairvaux]], the founder of the Cistercians responded that black was the color of the devil, hell, "of death and sin", while white represented "purity, innocence and all the virtues".<ref>Michel Pastoureau, ''Noir – Histoire d'une couleur'', p. 80.</ref>

Black symbolized both power and secrecy in the medieval world. The emblem of the Holy Roman Empire of Germany was a black eagle. The [[black knight]] in the poetry of the Middle Ages was an enigmatic figure, hiding his identity, usually wrapped in secrecy.<ref>Michel Pastoureau, ''Noir – Histoire d'une couleur'', pp.&nbsp;86–90.</ref>

Black [[ink]], invented in China, was traditionally used in the Middle Ages for writing, for the simple reason that black was the darkest color and therefore provided the greatest contrast with white paper or parchment, making it the easiest color to read.  It became even more important in the 15th century, with the invention of [[printing]]. A new kind of ink, printer's ink, was created out of [[soot]], [[turpentine]] and [[walnut oil]]. The new ink made it possible to spread ideas to a mass audience through printed books, and to popularize art through black and white prints.  Because of its contrast and clarity, black ink on white paper continued to be the standard for printing books, newspapers and documents; and for the same reason black text on a white background is the most common format used on computer screens.<ref name="Heller, Eva 2009 p. 126"/>

<gallery mode="packed" heights="150px">
File:Duccio - The Temptation on the Mount.jpg|The Italian painter [[Duccio di Buoninsegna]] showed [[Christ]] expelling the [[Devil]], shown covered with bristly black hair (1308–11).
File:Fra Angelico 010.jpg|The 15th-century painting of the ''Last Judgement'' by [[Fra Angelico]] (1395–1455) depicted hell with a vivid black devil devouring sinners.
File:Portretbenedykty324skiegomnich.jpg|Portrait of a monk of the [[Benedictine Order]] (1484)
File:Le Livre du cœur d'amour épris1.jpg|The black knight in a miniature painting of a medieval romance,''Le Livre du cœur d'amour épris'' (about 1460)
File:Gutenberg bible Old Testament Epistle of St Jerome.jpg|[[Gutenberg Bible]] (1451–1452). Black ink was used for printing books, because it provided the greatest contrast with the white paper and was the clearest and easiest color to read.
</gallery>

====14th and 15th centuries====
In the early Middle Ages, princes, nobles and the wealthy usually wore bright colors, particularly [[scarlet (cloth)|scarlet]] cloaks from Italy. Black was rarely part of the wardrobe of a noble family. The one exception was the fur of the [[sable]]. This glossy black fur, from an animal of the [[marten]] family, was the finest and most expensive fur in Europe.  It was imported from Russia and Poland and used to trim the robes and gowns of royalty.

In the 14th century, the status of black began to change. First, high-quality black dyes began to arrive on the market, allowing garments of a deep, rich black. Magistrates and government officials began to wear black robes, as a sign of the importance and seriousness of their positions. A third reason was the passage of [[sumptuary laws]] in some parts of Europe which prohibited the wearing of costly clothes and certain colors by anyone except members of the nobility. The famous bright scarlet cloaks from [[Venice]] and the peacock blue fabrics from [[Florence]] were restricted to the nobility. The wealthy bankers and merchants of northern Italy responded by changing to black robes and gowns, made with the most expensive fabrics.<ref>Michel Pastoureau,  ''Noir – Histoire d'une couleur'', pp.&nbsp;93–130.</ref>

The change to the more austere but elegant black was quickly picked up by the kings and nobility. It began in northern Italy, where the Duke of Milan and the Count of Savoy and the rulers of Mantua, Ferrara, Rimini and Urbino began to dress in black. It then spread to France, led by [[Louis I, Duke of Orleans]], younger brother of King [[Charles VI of France]]. It moved to England at the end of the reign of King [[Richard II]] (1377–1399), where all the court began to wear black. In 1419–20, black became the color of the powerful Duke of Burgundy, [[Philip the Good]]. It moved to Spain, where it became the color of the Spanish Habsburgs, of [[Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor|Charles V]] and of his son, [[Philip II of Spain]] (1527–1598). European rulers saw it as the color of power, dignity, humility and temperance. By the end of the 16th century, it was the color worn by almost all the monarchs of Europe and their courts.<ref>Michel Pastoureau, ''Noir – Histoire d'une couleur'', pp.&nbsp;121–25.</ref>

<gallery widths="160" heights="180" class="center">
File:Philip the good.jpg|''[[Portrait of Philip the Good (van der Weyden)|Portrait of Philip the Good]]'', [[Rogier van der Weyden]], c. 1450
File:Petrus Christus - Portrait of a Young Woman - Google Art Project.jpg|''[[Portrait of a Young Girl (Christus)|Portrait of a Young Girl]]'', [[Petrus Christus]], between 1465 and 1470
File:Titian - Portrait of Charles V Seated - WGA22964.jpg|[[Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor]], [[Titian]], c.1500–1558
File:Portrait of Philip II of Spain by Sofonisba Anguissola - 002b.jpg|Portrait of [[Philip II of Spain]] (1527–1598)
</gallery>