'This Is My Choice': 200-Year-Old Erotic Condom Goes On Display At Amsterdam Museum

The Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam is turning heads with its latest acquisition — a nearly 200-year-old condom etched with a provocative scene that offers a rare peek into the sexual attitudes of the 19th century. Believed to date back to around 1830, the object is thought to have been crafted from a sheep’s appendix, a common material for condoms of the time. But what truly sets this artefact apart is the explicit etching it bears: a nun seated with her legs apart, confronting three aroused clergymen.

The image, captioned “Voilà mon choix” or “This is my choice,” is seen as a bold parody of celibacy and a cheeky reference to the Judgement of Paris from Greek mythology. Only two known examples of such printed condoms have survived, making this an exceptionally rare find.

A Window Into Hidden Histories

The museum’s Print Room will exhibit the condom starting June 3, as part of a wider showcase exploring sexuality and prostitution in the 19th century. The display includes prints, photographs, and drawings from the same era, offering visitors a nuanced understanding of how sexual health, desire, and societal norms intertwined in a time marked by both repression and indulgence.

“Acquiring the condom has enabled us to focus on 19th-century sexuality and prostitution, a subject that is underrepresented in our collection,” the museum noted. “It embodies both the lighter and darker sides of sexual health, in an era when the quest for sensual pleasure was fraught with fears of unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases – especially syphilis.”

More Than Just Paper: A Landmark Addition

While the Print Room at Rijksmuseum already houses an extensive archive of over 750,000 items — from drawings to photographs — this is the first known example in the collection featuring a print on a condom. It was acquired at auction six months ago with support from the F.G. Waller Fonds.

This curious and provocative relic may be small, but it carries a hefty cultural significance. It challenges viewers to consider how humour, satire, and sensuality were expressed even in times of strict moral codes. The display will remain open through November, promising an unforgettable encounter with a seldom-seen side of history.

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