200-year-old condom decorated with erotic art on display in Amsterdam

The playful prophylactic is believed to have been made around 1830 from a sheep's appendix

Associated Press

Molly Quell

Published Jun 03, 2025 • 1 minute read

This image made available by the Rijksmueum shows a condom with print, circa 1830, displayed at Amsterdam's Rijksmuseum. Photo by Kelly Schenk /AP

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.

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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.”

This image made available by the Rijksmueum shows a condom with print, circa 1830, which has gone on display at Amsterdam's Rijksmuseum. — This image made available by the Rijksmueum shows a condom with print, circa 1830, which has gone on display at Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum. Photo by Kelly Schenk /AP

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.

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.

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