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A 200-year-old illustrated condom will go on display in Amsterdam this week alongside masters from the Dutch Golden Age, as this 19th-century "luxury souvenir" is the first contraceptive to be added to the Rijksmuseum's art collection.
The condom, which is believed to have been made from the appendix of a sheep around 1830, is believed to have come from a luxury brothel in France, most likely in Paris, The Guardian reports. It features an erotic engraving depicting a partially nude nun pointing at the genitals of three clergymen, as well as the French phrase Voila, mon choix (“Here, this is my choice”).
Rijksmuseum curator Joyce Zelen said the composition of the engraving refers to the Greek myth of the Judgement of Paris, where a Trojan prince must choose the most beautiful of three goddesses. “So we believe that whoever bought this condom was sophisticated and well-educated,” she said.
The condom was bought for 1,000 euros at an auction in Haarlem last month. This week it was placed in a glass case for an exhibition called "Safe Sex?" which includes Dutch and French engravings and drawings that focus on work and sexual health.
Before the invention of vulcanized rubber in 1839 made condoms safer and more affordable, they were made from linen, animal membranes, or even tortoise shells. These versions didn't offer much protection against sexually transmitted diseases like syphilis or prevent pregnancy.
“In the 1830s, when this condom was produced, their use was still frowned upon, especially by the church,” Zelen said. “They were sold clandestinely in brothels, although there are some records of luxury stores offering the service.”
The souvenir is 20 centimeters long. "We examined it with ultraviolet light and we suspect it was never actually used," Zelen said, adding that it is not clear which of the three men the nun is pointing her finger at.
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