In the small green area between the Hofgarten and Prinz-Carl-Palais, not far from the English Garden, there is a copy of a marble statue of a young man by the classicist sculptor Franz Jacob Schwanthaler (1760-1820), commonly known as 'Harmless'. This statue was founded in 1803, on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the English Garden, by the writer and politician Theodor Heinrich Topor von Morawitzky (1735-1810), who came from one of the oldest noble families in the Kingdom of Poland.

Name of the statue

The name of the statue is derived from the first word of the aphorism on the stone tablet on which the figure of the naked young man rests: "HARMLOS / WANDELT HIER / DANN KEHRET / NEU GESTÆRKT / ZU IEDER / PFLICHT ZURÜCK" (Harmless / comes here / then goes away / strengthened anew / to each / duty returns). This inscription refers to the nearby English Garden, established between 1789 and 1793 as a place of recreation for the citizens of Munich. This garden was created during the reign of Elector Karl Theodor (1724-1799) according to the plans of Friedrich von Sckell and owed its name to the English landscape gardens that served as a model for the designer.

The significance of Theodor Heinrich Topor von Morawitzky's foundation

In 1803, on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the garden, the then Bavarian Minister of Culture, Count Morawitzky, funded a statue of 'Harmless' on condition that it would stand in a representative, highly visible position at the then main entrance to the English Garden. Morawitzky's foundation is commemorated by the inscription on the statue's pedestal: "SEINEN MITBÜRGERN / GEWIDMET / VON / THEODOR GRAF MORAWITZKY / DURCH FRANZ SCHWANTHALLER / MDCCCIII" (To his fellow citizens / he dedicates / Theodor von Morawitzky / by Franz Schwanthaller / 1803). The location of the monument, near the Hofgarten barracks at the entrance to the public park, was a demonstration of support for the enlightenment policies of the Wittelsbachs, reflecting Morawitzky's political strategy and contributing to his popularity during this period.

The significance of this undertaking in Morawitzky's career prompts the question: who exactly is the young man portrayed? This question was already troubling contemporaries. The statue contains no clues that would allow a clear identification of the figure. During the planning of the project, terms such as 'statue of a Greek youth', 'genius of the garden' or 'boy of the gods' were used. In the second decade of the 20th century, the statue began to be referred to as the 'Antonious statue'. It was probably only then that the Munich bourgeoisie recognised the resemblance of the 'Harmless' to ancient statues of Antinous, the beautiful young man from Bithynia, whose cult was introduced in Greece during Hadrian's reign. The figure became popular again first in the Renaissance and then in the 19th century due to his physical attributes. The choice of Antinous as the prototype for the Munich figure made it possible to evoke an ancient heritage, a cult of beauty and health.

History of the original

The original statue by Franz Jacob Schwanthaler, carved from marble from the Tegernsee mine in Bavaria, was moved to the Residence Museum after a series of acts of vandalism. In 1983, a copy of the statue was erected in its place.