Phantasmagoria magic lantern c. 1820.

Phantasmagoria was a form of entertainment that (among other techniques) used one or more magic lanterns to project frightening images such as skeletons, demons, and ghosts onto walls, smoke, or semi-transparent screens, typically using rear projection to keep the lantern out of sight. Mobile or portable projectors were used, allowing the projected image to move and change size on the screen, and multiple projecting devices allowed for quick switching of different images. Étienne-Gaspard "Robertson" Robert, a Belgian inventor and physicist from Liège, became the best-known phantasmagoria showman.