It seems like this type of lens has been available since the 1920s, and there would have been nothing stopping, say, the German Expressionists from using this s

It seems like this type of lens has been available since the 1920s, and there would have been nothing stopping, say, the German Expressionists from using this sort of technique? I love seeing this sort of thing, it's part of why I find modern demoscene so fascinating.