In the 19th century, the magic lantern (Laterna magica) was a popular attraction at fairs and vaudeville theaters, and was also often found in private homes. It’s purpose was to project images onto a wall, often accompanied by a recite and sometimes additionally by artificial fog and thunder. Many images were animated, so phase images in rapid succession created the impression of film-like movement. An overview with rich pictorial material and many detailed information
is given by the virtueel toverlantaarnmuseum / dutch virtual magic lantern museum operated by Henc de Roo with the grandiose website luikerwaal.com in Dutch and English. One should bring along some time, in this form and the extent the topic is probably nowhere presented.