Fantasmagoria, 1799

Phantasmagoria (also referred to as Fantasmagorie) was a spectacular magic lantern show produced by Etiènne Gaspard’rt (later changing his last time to Robertson) in Paris at the Paviliion d’Echiquier in 1799. In the late 1700s and early 1800s magic lantern projections was a great source for entertainment and held great commercial value. Robertson’s intent was to create a ghost-like spectacle that would delight was well as terrify his audiences. Like a haunted house, Robertson transformed an abandoned monastery for the placement of his show. Throughout the space, Robertson secretly placed magic lanterns with projects of ghost and ghouls. Many were projected on the pitch-black walls as well as blankets providing more terrifying apparitions. Many of the lanterns were also placed on tracks, so Robertson and his assistants could manipulate the moving of the ‘ghost,’ no longer leaving them stationary images. The show was revolutionary because never before had projected images been manipulated for entertainment.