A 200-year-old condom featuring an erotic nun is the new jewel of Amsterdam's Rijksmuseum.
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A nearly two-century-old condom made from sheep intestine and decorated with an explicit sexual scene has just entered the collection of Amsterdam's Rijksmuseum . The piece, dating from around 1830 and likely originating from a Parisian brothel, is the focus of the museum's new temporary exhibition, which focuses on sexual practices and the concept of "safe sex" in the 19th century.
The image engraved on the condom depicts a half-naked nun pointing at one of three priests with her genitals exposed . The accompanying text, "Voilà mon choix" ("Here is my choice"), parodies the Greek myth of the Judgment of Paris and serves as a satire on the clergy's sexual morality . The meticulous and surprisingly high-quality engraving for the medium makes the object a rarity both for its function and its symbolic meaning, EFE reports.
The condom was acquired by the Rijksmuseum at an auction in Haarlem for just over 1,000 euros . According to curator Joyce Zelen , there is no evidence that it was ever used. Ultraviolet light analysis revealed no biological remains, leading to the belief that the object was preserved as a collector's item or as a private joke within the context of high-end prostitution.
Until the advent of vulcanized rubber in the mid-19th century, condoms were made from linen, animal bladders, or intestines , like the one on display. They were expensive, reusable, and frowned upon by religious and health authorities, which limited their use to brothels or private circles . The emergence of cheaper condoms at the end of the century transformed their accessibility, but by 1830 they were still almost objects of clandestine worship.
Until the appearance of vulcanized rubber in the mid-19th century, they were made from flax, animal bladders or intestines.
The exhibition, titled Safe Sex?, brings together a selection of prints, caricatures, pamphlets, and intimate objects from the period to offer a journey through the contradictions between pleasure, health, and morality in 19th-century Europe. The exhibition reflects on how female desire was perceived , the fear of venereal diseases , and the prevailing double standards surrounding sex.
Zelen explained that the museum had to create a new category in its database to officially register the word "condom," which until now had been absent from the institutional vocabulary. "This object allows us to talk about sex, repression, and political satire from a material and historical perspective," the expert stated.
"This object allows us to talk about sex, repression, and political satire from a material and historical perspective."
The Rijksmuseum, which houses more than 750,000 prints, drawings, and photographs , considers this addition one of the most provocative in recent years. Not only because of the rarity of the medium, but also because of the way it reflects the social tensions of an era that oscillated between puritanism and a fascination with eroticism.
The exhibition runs until the end of November and transforms the small Parisian condom into an unexpected symbol of freedom, desire, and social critique . In an institution best known for its Rembrandts and Vermeers, this 14-centimeter piece opens up a new avenue of interpretation: intimate history is also part of cultural heritage .
El Confidencial