The Wasp — 1895 — page 349: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page satirizes contemporary anxieties about the Moulin Rouge, a famous Parisian cabaret. The text critiques both the venue itself and moralistic Americans who condemn it as indecent. The main article defends the Moulin Rouge against "prudes" and "Mrs. Grundy" figures (symbols of prudishness) who object to its dancers and performances. The author argues that calling it immoral is hypocritical given San Francisco's own vices—suggesting Americans lack standing to judge Paris. The bottom section ("Put Under Restraint") mocks a woman who rejected a marriage proposal because the man wouldn't promise to prevent her from seeing the Moulin Rouge, satirizing excessive female moral vigilance. The cartoons illustrate the boisterous crowd and entertainment, contrasting respectable society's disapproval with popular enjoyment.