This unique artefact provides insight into historical attitudes toward sexual pleasure and disease prevention, sparking interest from visitors of all ages.
**Historical Condom on Display at Rijksmuseum: A 200-Year-Old View of Sexual Health**
**Historical Condom on Display at Rijksmuseum: A 200-Year-Old View of Sexual Health**
A preserved condom from 1830 highlights the complexities of sexuality and health in the 19th century.
The Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam has recently unveiled a remarkable artefact dating back nearly 200 years: an unutilized condom believed to have been fashioned from a sheep's appendix. This extraordinary item, which features a provocative print of a nun and three clergymen, is now part of an exhibition dedicated to 19th-century prostitution and sexuality. The museum acquired the condom during an auction last year, where it went largely unnoticed by other bidders, much to the delight of curator Joyce Zelen, who described the initial discovery as a moment of laughter between her and her colleagues.
Upon obtaining the condom, museum staff conducted a UV light inspection and confirmed its pristine condition, marking it as a “luxury souvenir” from a high-end brothel in France. Notably, this condom is thought to be one of only two known examples still in existence, and it exemplifies the complexities surrounding sexual health during an era fraught with concerns about unplanned pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases like syphilis.
Zelen explained that the explicit print on the condom, which depicts the nun provocatively engaging with the clergymen while holding a finger aloft in a commanding gesture, serves as a parody interweaving themes of celibacy and the Greek myth of the Judgement of Paris. The inscription “Voilà mon choix,” translating to “There is my choice,” further emphasizes the humorous critique of societal norms at that time.
Rijksmuseum’s Print Room collection, comprising around 750,000 prints, drawings, and photographs, had never before included a condom showcasing such artistry. Zelen noted that their institution is arguably the only art museum to display a printed condom, and while it could be loaned to other museums, the delicacy of this artefact requires careful handling. The condom is currently on display until the end of November, drawing substantial crowds eager to engage with this historical relic and reflect on its cultural significance.
Upon obtaining the condom, museum staff conducted a UV light inspection and confirmed its pristine condition, marking it as a “luxury souvenir” from a high-end brothel in France. Notably, this condom is thought to be one of only two known examples still in existence, and it exemplifies the complexities surrounding sexual health during an era fraught with concerns about unplanned pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases like syphilis.
Zelen explained that the explicit print on the condom, which depicts the nun provocatively engaging with the clergymen while holding a finger aloft in a commanding gesture, serves as a parody interweaving themes of celibacy and the Greek myth of the Judgement of Paris. The inscription “Voilà mon choix,” translating to “There is my choice,” further emphasizes the humorous critique of societal norms at that time.
Rijksmuseum’s Print Room collection, comprising around 750,000 prints, drawings, and photographs, had never before included a condom showcasing such artistry. Zelen noted that their institution is arguably the only art museum to display a printed condom, and while it could be loaned to other museums, the delicacy of this artefact requires careful handling. The condom is currently on display until the end of November, drawing substantial crowds eager to engage with this historical relic and reflect on its cultural significance.
