“Phantasmagoria” is a direct translation from the French “phantasmagorie,” but its origins date to ancient Greece. It blends together the root “phantasma,” meaning “ghost,” with “agora,” meaning “assembly.” In the 19th century, a device called a magic lantern was used to create ghostly phantasmagorias. The technique involved projecting a painting or other image onto a glass pane with an oil lamp. The flame’s flicker in the glass produced an eerie, unsettling effect.