A 200-year-old condom made from lamb intestines will be exhibited this week at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.
According to the British daily Guardian and others on the 3rd (local time), this is the first time a condom has appeared in the history of the Rijksmuseum, known for showcasing works by masters of the Dutch Golden Age.
The condom being exhibited is believed to date back to around 1830 and originated from a high-end brothel in Paris, France. It was made using lamb's appendices.
This condom, approximately 20 cm long, features an erotic engraving drawn using the etching technique. The image depicts one woman dressed as a nun and three men who appear to be clergy, all of whom are explicitly exposing their genitals.
Joyce Jellen, a curator at the Rijksmuseum, noted that "the depiction of the shapes of the bodies and genitals of the men varies and the nun's pointing to someone is intentionally ambiguous," adding that "the composition of the painting hints at the story of 'The Judgment of Paris' from Greek mythology."
This condom was auctioned for 1,000 euros (about 1.56 million won) last November in Haarlem. It is set to be the centerpiece of a small curated exhibition titled "Safe Sex?" which will also showcase prints and drawings from the Netherlands and France on themes of sex work and sexual health.