The Rijksmuseum’s newest acquisition—a virtually 200-year-old condom made out of sheep gut—has prompted outrage from a conservative Christian group within the Netherlands, which has known as its show “a grotesque insult to God, the Catholic Church and your complete Dutch nation,” in accordance with the Artwork Newspaper.
On view within the museum’s print room as a part of a small exhibition on Nineteenth-century intercourse work, it options an erotic illustration of a seated nun, her legs unfold aside and her behavior hiked up round her waist, and three very enthusiastic clergymen. Beneath the picture, the caption reads Voilà mon choix—“That is my alternative”—a lascivious parody of the Judgement of Paris fable, during which a mortal should select essentially the most lovely goddess. On this model, the nun seems to have made her decide amongst three conspicuously aroused monks. She’s pointing proper at him.
The artifact was possible a brothel memento and is believed to be one among solely two identified examples to have survived. Rijksmuseum co-curator Joyce Zelen advised the Artwork Newspaper that the article was printed immediately onto the sheep’s appendix—a way far much less forgiving than paper. “Usually, an etching you’ll be able to print a number of thousand occasions, however paper is simpler to print [on] than sheep’s appendix,” she stated.
The protest, organized by Stichting Civitas Christiana and its youth wing TFP Pupil Motion Europe, included 11 demonstrators outdoors the museum final week and a circulation of 5,000 flyers. The group claims the condom was initially created as anti-Catholic propaganda in the course of the French Revolution.
In a separate op-ed, a Dutch right-wing outlet steered that comparable satire involving Mohammed could be “unthinkable” within the museum.
Zelen, nonetheless, sees the controversy as misplaced. “Mocking faith is as outdated as faith itself,” she stated. “It’s meant to be humorous.”
The Rijksmuseum present explores a interval when prostitution was authorized within the Netherlands and public well being efforts had been targeted on curbing rampant syphilis. Condoms made out of animal byproducts had been discreetly offered in barbershops and seafront stalls. The museum’s print room, which homes greater than 750,000 works on paper, acquired the article at public sale earlier this yr. It would stay on view by means of November.
