Cheeky condom from the 1800s steals the show

IT'S an illustration that would be racy even by today's standards: A nun points her finger at a trio of clergymen, who raise their robes to reveal their aroused state.

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Her bare legs are splayed open, in a bizarre and humorous exchange.

If that wasn't risqué enough, the drawing was printed on a condom nearly 200 years ago and is thought to have been circulated as a brothel souvenir. Likely made from a sheep's appendix, the early contraceptive is also inscribed with the words “Voilà mon choix,” or “This is my choice” - a tongue-in-cheek jab at celibacy.

The yellowed, crinkled condom made its debut on Tuesday at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. Perched on a tiny stand, it rests among other relics depicting 19th-century prostitution and sexuality in the museum's print room, which is dedicated to drawings and photographs across various media.