Although some of the first attempts at spectacular lighting outdoors were made with search-lights, spectacular lighting did not become generally popular until the appearance of incandescent filament lamps of reasonable efficiency and cost.  The effects were obtained primarily by the use of small electric filament lamps draped in festoons or installed along the outlines and other principal lines of buildings and monuments.  The effect was almost wholly that of light, for the glare from the visible lamps obscured the buildings or other objects.  The method is still used because it is simple and the effects may be permanently installed without requiring any attention excepting to replace burned-out lamps.  However, the method has limitations from an artistic point of view because the artistic effects of painting, sculpture, and architecture cannot be combined with it very effectively.  For example, the details of a monument or of a building cannot be seen distinctly enough to be appreciated.  The effect is merely that of outlines or lines and patterns of points of light and is usually glaring.

The next step was to conceal these lamps behind the cornices or other projections or in nooks constructed the purpose.  Light now began to mold and to paint the objects.  The structures began to be visible; at least the important cornices and other details were no longer mere outlines.  The introduction of the drawn-wire tungsten lamp is responsible for an innovation in spectacular lighting of this sort, for now it became possible to make concentrated light-sources so essential to projectors.  Furthermore, these lighting units require very little attention after once being located.  With the introduction of electric-filament lamps of this character small projectors came into use, and by means of concentrated beams of light whole buildings and monuments could be flooded with light from remote positions.  The effects obtained by concealing lamps behind cornices had demonstrated that the lighting of the surfaces was the object to be realized in most cases, and when small projectors not requiring constant attention became available, a great impetus was given to flood-lighting.

When France gave to this country the Bartholdi Statue of Liberty there was no thought of having this emblem visible at night excepting for the torch held the hand of Liberty.  This torch was modified at the time of the erection of the statue to accommodate the lamps available, with the result that it was merely a lantern containing a number of electric lamps.  At night it was a speck of light more feeble than many surrounding shore lights.  The statue had been lighted during festivals with festoons and outlines of lamps, but in 1915, when the freedom of the generous donor of the statue appeared to be at stake, a movement was begun which culminated in a fund for flood-lighting Liberty.  The broad foundation of the statue made the lighting comparatively easy by means of banks