At the Mill
1902
In this lively 1902 illustration by Fernand Louis Gottlob, two fashionable women chat amidst a bustling crowd, likely at the famous Moulin Rouge. The woman facing us sports a massive, elaborate hat and a dark fur stole, looking quite amused as her companion whispers away. The French caption at the bottom adds a witty twist: one woman jokes that the police could find plenty of fugitives here, since it's a place where everyone is 'lifting their foot'—a clever double meaning for both fleeing the law and dancing the can-can! It perfectly captures the scandalous, energetic atmosphere of Belle Époque Paris.