Two women stand in the foreground, one with light pink hair swept up high and a pale dress, the other with dark hair and a black bodice over a striped skirt. The woman with pink hair faces away from the viewer, her profile and back visible, while her companion leans in close, their shoulders touching. Both women are turned slightly toward the left, appearing to look at a group of men gathered nearby.

Above these shapes, a band of mirrors reflects the upper bodies and hats of more figures, suggesting a crowded, bustling interior. The upper left shows a section of red-striped curtain, loosely drawn with quick, textured strokes. Colors are bold and flat, with large areas of unmodulated pink, blue, black, and tan, separated by clear, fluid outlines.

The artist uses minimal modeling, and the forms are defined by contour and pattern rather than by shading or volume. Light falls evenly across the figures, with little shadow, emphasizing the flatness of the forms and the decorative quality of the colors. Brushwork and line are crisp and confident, especially in the sweeping curves of the women's dresses and the vertical stripes of the skirt.

To the left, a man in a dark blue coat and black hat stands with his back turned, his legs slightly apart and his feet pointing outward. Another man in a black suit and tall top hat faces forward, his pale face and pointed nose visible in profile as he looks toward the women. In the upper right corner, a partial reflection of a figure in black appears in the mirror, cropped at the shoulders and head.

The lower right edge of the image shows a sliver of another figure, only an arm and part of a blue sleeve visible. The background is filled with warm tan and ochre tones, while accents of red and blue punctuate the otherwise muted palette, with the paint applied in flat, opaque layers and the outlines drawn in a loose, sketchy manner. The composition is tightly cropped, with figures filling the frame and overlapping, creating a sense of immediacy and intimacy. At the Moulin Rouge; La Goulue and Her Sister is made by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec.