Schaller-Härlin née Härlin was born on 19 October 1877 in Mangalore, India.

She moved to Germany as a young woman and attended arts and crafts school in Stuttgart and the women's academy in Munich.

[2] Her teachers included Adolf Hölzel and Angelo Jank.

Elsaesser designed churches and Schaller-Härlin produced wall and glass painting for the interiors.

[3][2] She was married for a time to the German art historian Hans-Otto Schaller.