Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1880, Harriet Whitney Frishmuth experienced her parents' divorce during her teens before moving to Europe with her mother and sisters. She spent eight years there, studying with Auguste Rodin at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris and Cuno von Uechtritz-Steinkirch in Berlin. Upon returning to the United States, she continued her education at the Art Students League of New York under Gutzon Borglum and Hermon Atkins MacNeil. She also worked as an assistant to sculptor Karl Bitter and conducted dissections at the College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York.

Her artwork was shown at esteemed institutions such as the National Academy of Design and the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, as well as international events like the Salon in Paris and the Golden Gate International Exposition. She was also a member of the Philadelphia Ten, a group of influential women in the art world. Despite closing her New York studio and returning to Philadelphia in the midst of the Great Depression, she remained involved in the art scene for many years, passing away in 1980 at age 99. She is buried at Laurel Hill Cemetery in Philadelphia.