Johanna Larij came from a well-known Dordrecht artist family. Her father was the painter Jan Larij, Roland Larij was her uncle. Johanna's talent was recognized and stimulated from early childhood. Around 1900 she attended the academy in The Hague. After that she lived and worked in Dordrecht. Her preference was to paint still lifes and flowers. Landscapes and some genre scenes are also known of her, which testify to her good observation skills. Johanna Larij was a member of Pictura in Dordrecht and regularly participated in exhibitions.