August Harning (Haerning) was born in Denmark in 1874. He attended the school of S. Vermehren and was educated at the Royal Art Academy in 1899. He worked and traveled in Sweden and the rest of Scandinavia during the late 19th century and took study tours to Germany during the 1920s.

Haerning worked as an art teacher from 1902-1942 and was a member of the artists union of November 18th. He received the prestigious Royal Academy medallion in 1903 as well as as the Raben-Leveetzau prize in 1900 and 1902.

Haerning debuted at the Royal Charlottenborg exhibition in 1898 and exhibited there until 1920. He died in Denmark in 1961.