200-Year-Old, 20 cm-Long Condom Unveiled
Made from Sheep Cecum
The Rijksmuseum, the national art museum located in Amsterdam, Netherlands, is drawing attention by exhibiting a condom made approximately 200 years ago.
According to AP News and other sources on June 3 (local time), this condom was made around 1830 from the cecum of a sheep. It features an illustration depicting three clergymen and a nun, and it is believed to have been used as a souvenir in a brothel.
In the illustration, there is one woman dressed as a nun and three men who appear to be clergymen, all of whom are explicitly exposing their genitals. It was also intentionally left ambiguous as to which of the men the nun is pointing to with her hand.
The phrase "This is my choice" is written in French, which is interpreted as an allusion to the painting "The Judgment of Paris" by the French artist Renoir. The artwork depicts the scene where Paris, the prince of Troy, chooses the most beautiful among the three goddesses: Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite.It appears that this scene inspired the reversal of genders in the illustration.
Introducing the piece, the museum described it as "a symbol that shows both the light and dark sides of sexuality." The museum added, "Only two copies of this work are known to exist," and explained, "This piece demonstrates the diverse uses of printmaking techniques and offers insights into sexuality and prostitution in the 19th century."
This condom will be on display until the end of November as part of an exhibition on prostitution and sexuality in the 19th century. The exhibition also features Dutch and French prints and drawings on themes such as prostitution and sexual health.
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