Latest news with #eroticArt
CBS News
15-07-2025
- General
- CBS News
Erotic ancient mosaic stolen by Nazi German captain during WWII is returned to Pompeii
A mosaic panel on travertine slabs, depicting an erotic theme from the Roman era, was returned to the archaeological park of Pompeii on Tuesday, after being stolen by a Nazi German captain during World War II. The mosaic depicts a pair of lovers in a state of undress. A male figure is lounging on a bed or couch, while a female figure is standing, facing away from the viewer. The artwork was repatriated from Germany through diplomatic channels, arranged by the Italian Consulate in Stuttgart, Germany, after having been returned from the heirs of the last owner, a deceased German citizen. The owner had received the mosaic as a gift from a Wehrmacht captain, assigned to the military supply chain in Italy during the war. The mosaic — dating between mid- to last century B.C. and the first century — is considered a work of "extraordinary cultural interest," experts said. It may have decorated the floor of a bedroom, the Archaeological Park of Pompeii said in a news release. "It is the moment when the theme of domestic love becomes an artistic subject," said Gabriel Zuchtriegel, director of the Archaeological Park of Pompeii and co-author of an essay dedicated to the returned work. "While the Hellenistic period, from the fourth to the first century B.C., exulted the passion of mythological and heroic figures, now we see a new theme." The heirs of the mosaic's last owner in Germany contacted the Carabinieri unit in Rome that's dedicated to protecting cultural heritage, which was in charge of the investigation, asking for information on how to return the mosaic to the Italian state. Authorities carried out the necessary checks to establish its authenticity and provenance, and then worked to repatriate the mosaic in September 2023. The collaboration with the Archaeological Park of Pompeii was also key, as it made it possible to trace it to near the Mount Vesuvius volcano, despite the scarcity of data on the original context of its discovery, the Carabinieri said. The panel was then assigned to the Archaeological Park of Pompeii where, suitably catalogued, it will be protected and available for educational and research purposes. Photos show the tile on display, behind a glass cover. A small crowd gathered to look at and photograph the piece. "Today's return is like healing an open wound," Zuchtriegel said, adding that the mosaic allows to reconstruct the story of that period, the first century A.D., before Pompeii was destroyed by the Vesuvius eruption in A.D. 79. The park's director also highlighted how the return by the heirs of its owner signals an important change in "mentality," as "the sense of possession (of stolen art) becomes a heavy burden." "We see that often in the many letters we receive from people who may have stolen just a stone, to bring home a piece of Pompeii," Zuchtriegel said. Photos posted on social media by the Archaeological Park of Pompeii show the mosaic being handed over by police and later being put on display. Zuchtriegel recalled the so-called "Pompeii curse," which according to a popular superstition hits whoever steals artifacts in Pompeii. The world-known legend suggests that those who steal finds from the ancient city of Pompeii will experience bad luck or misfortune. That has been fueled over the years by several tourists who return stolen items, claiming they brought them bad luck and caused tragic events.
CNN
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
Rare 19th-century condom with erotic etching goes on display at Dutch museum
CNN — A rare 19th-century condom decorated with an erotic etching featuring a nun and three clergymen is going on display at a museum in the Netherlands. Believed to be made from a sheep's appendix, the prophylactic dates back to 1830 and is likely a souvenir from a brothel, according to a statement from the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam on Tuesday. Joyce Zelen, curator of prints at the museum, told CNN that condoms would have been sold under the counter at the time. This example is in 'mint condition,' she said, with UV testing revealing that it hasn't been used. This fact, as well as the print and the extended length of the condom, which is 20 centimeters (7.9 inches) long, suggest that this was 'a luxury brothel souvenir,' added Zelen. 'It makes it more of an object to laugh about with your friends than an actual object to use,' she said. In the etching, the nun can be seen seated with her legs open while the three clergymen hold up their robes, revealing their erect penises. 'The inscription Voilà mon choix, meaning 'This is my choice,' makes the print a parody of both celibacy and the Judgement of Paris from Greek mythology,' said the museum. Zelen explained that the printmaker would have laid the appendix of a sheep or goat out flat and used a copper plate with the inked etching on it to print the design onto it. While this kind of condom was not likely to have been used, those designed to protect the wearer would have been made with similar materials, said Zelen. They would have provided minimal protection from unwanted pregnancies and sexual transmitted infections such as syphilis, which was a significant public health problem in 19th century Europe, she added. The Rijksmuseum acquired the condom at auction six months ago and it is the first example of a print on a condom to form part of the museum's collection. It will be on display in the museum's Print Room until the end of November as part of an exhibit on 19th century prostitution and sexuality. In recent years the Rijksmuseum has hit the headlines for putting together the largest ever exhibition of paintings by Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer, as well as for repatriating colonial artifacts to Sri Lanka following provenance research that started in 2017.
CNN
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
Rare 19th-century condom with erotic etching goes on display at Dutch museum
A rare 19th-century condom decorated with an erotic etching featuring a nun and three clergymen is going on display at a museum in the Netherlands. Believed to be made from a sheep's appendix, the prophylactic dates back to 1830 and is likely a souvenir from a brothel, according to a statement from the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam on Tuesday. Joyce Zelen, curator of prints at the museum, told CNN that condoms would have been sold under the counter at the time. This example is in 'mint condition,' she said, with UV testing revealing that it hasn't been used. This fact, as well as the print and the extended length of the condom, which is 20 centimeters (7.9 inches) long, suggest that this was 'a luxury brothel souvenir,' added Zelen. 'It makes it more of an object to laugh about with your friends than an actual object to use,' she said. In the etching, the nun can be seen seated with her legs open while the three clergymen hold up their robes, revealing their erect penises. 'The inscription Voilà mon choix, meaning 'This is my choice,' makes the print a parody of both celibacy and the Judgement of Paris from Greek mythology,' said the museum. Zelen explained that the printmaker would have laid the appendix of a sheep or goat out flat and used a copper plate with the inked etching on it to print the design onto it. While this kind of condom was not likely to have been used, those designed to protect the wearer would have been made with similar materials, said Zelen. They would have provided minimal protection from unwanted pregnancies and sexual transmitted infections such as syphilis, which was a significant public health problem in 19th century Europe, she added. The Rijksmuseum acquired the condom at auction six months ago and it is the first example of a print on a condom to form part of the museum's collection. It will be on display in the museum's Print Room until the end of November as part of an exhibit on 19th century prostitution and sexuality. In recent years the Rijksmuseum has hit the headlines for putting together the largest ever exhibition of paintings by Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer, as well as for repatriating colonial artifacts to Sri Lanka following provenance research that started in 2017.
CNN
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
Rare 19th century condom with erotic etching goes on display at Dutch museum
A rare 19th century condom decorated with an erotic etching featuring a nun and three clergymen is going on display at a museum in the Netherlands. Believed to be made from a sheep's appendix, the prophylactic dates back to 1830 and is likely a souvenir from a brothel, according to a statement from the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam on Tuesday. Joyce Zelen, curator of prints at the museum, told CNN that condoms would have been sold under the counter at the time. This example is in 'mint condition,' she said, with UV testing revealing that it hasn't been used. This fact, as well as the print and the extended length of the condom, which is 20 centimeters (7.9 inches) long, suggest that this was 'a luxury brothel souvenir,' added Zelen. 'It makes it more of an object to laugh about with your friends than an actual object to use,' she said. In the etching, the nun can be seen seated with her legs open while the three clergymen hold up their robes, revealing their erect penises. 'The inscription Voilà mon choix, meaning 'This is my choice,' makes the print a parody of both celibacy and the Judgement of Paris from Greek mythology,' said the museum. Zelen explained that the printmaker would have laid the appendix of a sheep or goat out flat and used a copper plate with the inked etching on it to print the design onto it. While this kind of condom was not likely to have been used, those designed to protect the wearer would have been made with similar materials, said Zelen. They would have provided minimal protection from unwanted pregnancies and sexual transmitted infections such as syphilis, which was a significant public health problem in 19th century Europe, she added. The Rijksmuseum acquired the condom at auction six months ago and it is the first example of a print on a condom to form part of the museum's collection. It will be on display in the museum's Print Room until the end of November as part of an exhibit on 19th century prostitution and sexuality. In recent years the Rijksmuseum has hit the headlines for putting together the largest ever exhibition of paintings by Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer, as well as for repatriating colonial artifacts to Sri Lanka following provenance research that started in 2017.
CNN
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
Rare 19th century condom with erotic etching goes on display at Dutch museum
A rare 19th century condom decorated with an erotic etching featuring a nun and three clergymen is going on display at a museum in the Netherlands. Believed to be made from a sheep's appendix, the prophylactic dates back to 1830 and is likely a souvenir from a brothel, according to a statement from the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam on Tuesday. Joyce Zelen, curator of prints at the museum, told CNN that condoms would have been sold under the counter at the time. This example is in 'mint condition,' she said, with UV testing revealing that it hasn't been used. This fact, as well as the print and the extended length of the condom, which is 20 centimeters (7.9 inches) long, suggest that this was 'a luxury brothel souvenir,' added Zelen. 'It makes it more of an object to laugh about with your friends than an actual object to use,' she said. In the etching, the nun can be seen seated with her legs open while the three clergymen hold up their robes, revealing their erect penises. 'The inscription Voilà mon choix, meaning 'This is my choice,' makes the print a parody of both celibacy and the Judgement of Paris from Greek mythology,' said the museum. Zelen explained that the printmaker would have laid the appendix of a sheep or goat out flat and used a copper plate with the inked etching on it to print the design onto it. While this kind of condom was not likely to have been used, those designed to protect the wearer would have been made with similar materials, said Zelen. They would have provided minimal protection from unwanted pregnancies and sexual transmitted infections such as syphilis, which was a significant public health problem in 19th century Europe, she added. The Rijksmuseum acquired the condom at auction six months ago and it is the first example of a print on a condom to form part of the museum's collection. It will be on display in the museum's Print Room until the end of November as part of an exhibit on 19th century prostitution and sexuality. In recent years the Rijksmuseum has hit the headlines for putting together the largest ever exhibition of paintings by Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer, as well as for repatriating colonial artifacts to Sri Lanka following provenance research that started in 2017.
