[Probably ‘black’ refers primarily to the dark and secret nature of the magician’s art, or to the popular belief in the association of the magician with the devil; but the name is also associated with the med.L. nigromantīa, corruption of necromantīa (= Gr. νεκρομαντεία, f. νεκρός dead body), as if this contained L. niger, nigro- black.]
1. The art of performing supernatural acts by intercourse with the spirits of the dead or with the devil himself; magic, necromancy.
c. 1590. Marlowe, Faust., ix. 53. I have heard strange report of thy knowledge in the black art.
1611. Cotgr., Nigromance, nigromancie, coniuring, the blacke Art.
1674. R. Godfrey, Inj. & Ab. Physic, 178. He useth Astrology, (which the Vulgar call the Black Art).
1775. Sheridan, Rivals, I. ii. I’d as soon have them taught the black art as their alphabet!
1831. Brewster, Nat. Magic, iv. (1833), 69. A native of Pistoia, who cultivated the black art.
† 2. Thieves’ slang. Lock-picking, burglary. Obs.
1591. Greene, Conny-Catch., II. Wks. 1883, X. 72. I can set downe the subtiltie of the blacke Art, which is picking of lockes.
1608. Dekker, Belman Lond., Wks. 1884–5, III. 137. This Blacke Art … is called in English Picking of Lockes.
Hence, † Black-artist, Obs., a necromancer. † Black-artship Obs. nonce-wd.
a. 1618. Sylvester, Little Bartas, 408. Wks. (Grosart), II. 88 (D.). Those Black-Artists that consult with Hell To finde things lost.
1697. Mountfort, Faustus, I. ad fin. I came only to ask your Black Artship a Question.
1835. Carlyle, Schiller, II. (1845), 66. Spectres … the terror-struck black-artist cannot lay them.
