In the early 19th century, long before modern latex became the standard for contraception, people found more unconventional materials for protection—including parts of animals. But few artifacts from that era are as bizarre and culturally loaded as the one now on display at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam: a condom made from a sheep’s appendix, featuring an erotic illustration that’s raising more than eyebrows.
Image credit: Rijksmuseum
Estimated to date back to around 1830, this condom is believed to have originated in Paris, likely as a novelty item or souvenir from a high-end brothel. Measuring roughly 20 centimeters in length, the sheath was crafted from animal tissue, a common material at the time, and it bears a hand-drawn image of a half-naked nun pointing suggestively toward three exposed clergymen. Underneath the scene is the phrase in French: “Voilà mon choix”—“This is my choice.”
Experts suggest the image is a satirical take on the Judgment of Paris, the classical myth in which the Trojan prince must choose the fairest among three goddesses. Only here, the setting has been provocatively swapped with religious figures and sexual innuendo, making a mockery of both the Church and the myth itself. According to Rijksmuseum curator Joyce Zelen, the variety of male figures—bald, thin, stout—was likely meant to offer any man a humorous point of identification.
What’s more surprising is that ultraviolet testing reveals the condom was likely never used. That fact, combined with the hand-engraved artwork, suggests it was made primarily for display or as a joke—more art than apparatus. Its existence reveals not only the ingenuity of early contraception but also the underlying tensions between sexuality and religious authority during a time when such topics were taboo.
This piece is now the centerpiece of the museum’s exhibit titled “Safe Sex?”, which explores 19th-century European attitudes toward sex work, morality, and reproductive health. For €1,000, the museum acquired this delicate artifact at auction, bringing new attention to a forgotten corner of sexual history.
Did You Know?
Long before mass-produced condoms, people experimented with all kinds of materials—from fish bladders in ancient China to linen sheaths in Renaissance Italy. In fact, Gabriele Falloppio, a 16th-century Italian physician, was among the first to document the use of linen condoms as a defense against syphilis, centuries before rubber ever entered the scene.
Stories like this remind us that history is often stranger—and cheekier—than fiction. For more curious tales that blend science, sexuality, and forgotten artifacts, stay with Fact Fun. Don’t forget to bookmark us for your next deep dive into the bizarre side of the past!
ref : IFLScience , The Guardian , AP News
