Latest news with #SafeSex
CBS News
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Dutch museum exhibits Victorian-era condom adorned with erotic art of a naughty nun and clergymen
The Hague, Netherlands — The Netherlands' national museum has a new object on display that merges art with Amsterdam's infamous Red Light District: a nearly 200-year-old condom, emblazoned with erotic art. The Rijksmuseum said in a statement that the playful prophylactic, believed to be made around 1830 from a sheep's appendix, "depicts both the playful and the serious side of sexual health." It is part of an exhibition called "Safe Sex?" about 19th century sex work that opened on Tuesday. The condom, possibly a souvenir from a brothel, is decorated with an erotic image of a nun and three clergymen. A condom featuring an erotic art print, believed to have been made from a sheep's appendix around 1830, is seen on display inside the Netherlands' Rijksmuseum, in Amsterdam. Courtesy of the Rijksmuseum/Kelly Schenk The phrase "This is my choice" is written along the sheath in French. According to the museum, this is a reference to the Pierre-Auguste Renoir painting "The Judgment of Paris," which depicts the Trojan prince Paris judging a beauty contest between three goddesses. "Acquiring the condom has enabled us to focus on 19th-century sexuality and prostitution, a subject that is underrepresented in our collection. 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," the museum says on its website. A woman walks behind a condom emblazoned with an erotic art print, believed to have been made from a sheep's appendix around 1830, in the Netherlands' Rijksmuseum, in Amsterdam. Courtesy of the Rijksmuseum/Kelly Schenk The museum said it acquired the condom at an auction about six months ago with support from the F.G. Waller-Fonds, a memorial fund established in 1938 in memory of one of the Rijksmuseum's benefactors. The piece of sexually-themed art history was to remain on display until the end of November, the museum said.
The Independent
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Independent
200-year-old condom etched with erotic art makes museum debut
Amsterdam 's Rijksmuseum has unveiled a unique addition to its collection: a condom dating back almost 200 years, adorned with erotic art that reflects the city's Red Light District history. The Rijksmuseum described the condom, thought to be crafted around 1830 from a sheep's appendix, as a depiction of "both the playful and the serious side of sexual health." The unusual artefact is showcased in the "Safe Sex?" exhibition, which opened on Tuesday and explores the realities of 19th-century sex work. The condom, potentially a souvenir from a brothel, features an erotic image of a nun and three clergymen. The phrase 'This is my choice' is written along the sheath in French. According to the museum, this is a reference to the Pierre-Auguste Renoir painting 'The Judgment of Paris,' which depicts the Trojan prince Paris judging a beauty contest between three goddesses. The condom is on display until the end of November.
South China Morning Post
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
200-year-old condom decorated with erotic art goes on display in Amsterdam museum
The Netherlands' national museum has a new object on display that merges art with Amsterdam's infamous red-light district: a nearly 200-year-old condom, emblazoned with erotic art. Advertisement The Rijksmuseum said the playful prophylactic, believed to have been made around 1830 from a sheep's appendix, 'depicts both the playful and the serious side of sexual health'. It is part of an exhibition called 'Safe Sex?' about 19th-century sex work that opened on June 3. The condom, possibly a souvenir from a brothel, is decorated with an erotic image of a nun and three clergymen. The condom emblazoned with an erotic image featuring a nun and three clergymen, and believed to have been made nearly 200 years ago from a sheep's appendix, on display at Amsterdam's Rijksmuseum. Photo: Rijksmuseum via AP The phrase 'This is my choice' is written along the sheath in French. According to the museum, this is a reference to the Pierre-Auguste Renoir painting The Judgment of Paris, which depicts the Trojan prince Paris judging a beauty contest between three goddesses.
Daily Mail
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
200-year-old condom featuring erotic drawing of a semi-naked nun and three clergymen goes on display at Dutch museum
The Netherlands ' national museum is putting a 200-year-old condom that features erotic art of a semi-naked nun and three clergymen on display. The Rijksmuseum said in a statement that the playful prophylactic, believed to be made around 1830 from a sheep's appendix, 'depicts both the playful and the serious side of sexual health.' It is part of an exhibition called 'Safe Sex?' about 19th century sex work that opened on Tuesday. The condom, possibly a souvenir from a brothel, is 20cm (7.8in) and decorated with an erotic image of a nun and three clergymen. The phrase 'This is my choice' is written along the sheath in French. According to the museum, this is a reference to the Pierre-Auguste Renoir painting 'The Judgment of Paris', which itself depicts a Greek myth in which a Trojan prince is asked to judge a beauty contest between three goddesses. Rijksmuseum curator Joyce Zelen said the allusion to Greek mythology suggested that the owner of the prophylactic would've been a high-ranking member of society at the time. She said: 'We believe that whoever acquired the condom would have been fairly sophisticated and well-educated.' The piece was purchased for €1,000 (£840) at an auction in Haarlem last November, and will be put on display until the end of November as part of an exhibition that features Dutch and French prints and drawings on the themes of sex work and sexual health. Before 1839, the year vulcanised rubber was invented, condoms were typically made from linen, animal membranes or, in some case, turtle shells. But they were ineffective, doing little to provide protection against the spread of sexually transmitted diseases or the prevention of pregnancy. Zelen added: 'In the 1830s, when this condom was made, the use of condoms was still frowned upon, especially by the church. 'They were mostly sold under the counter at brothels or barber shops, though there are some reports of luxury shops offering bespoke tailoring.' The possible souvenir is believed to have never been used, Zelen said, after the museum looked at it under UV light. She added: 'It's also unclear whether the nun in the etching is pointing at the bald man, the thin man, or the one who looks slightly overweight. That way, any type of man could feel spoken to.'
South China Morning Post
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Condom 200 years old and decorated with erotic art goes on display in Amsterdam museum
The Netherlands' national museum has a new object on display that merges art with Amsterdam's infamous red-light district: a nearly 200-year-old condom, emblazoned with erotic art. Advertisement The Rijksmuseum said the playful prophylactic, believed to have been made around 1830 from a sheep's appendix, 'depicts both the playful and the serious side of sexual health'. It is part of an exhibition called 'Safe Sex?' about 19th-century sex work that opened on June 3. The condom, possibly a souvenir from a brothel, is decorated with an erotic image of a nun and three clergymen. The condom emblazoned with an erotic image featuring a nun and three clergymen, and believed to have been made nearly 200 years ago from a sheep's appendix, on display at Amsterdam's Rijksmuseum. Photo: Rijksmuseum via AP The phrase 'This is my choice' is written along the sheath in French. According to the museum, this is a reference to the Pierre-Auguste Renoir painting The Judgment of Paris, which depicts the Trojan prince Paris judging a beauty contest between three goddesses.
