Born in The Hague in 1876, Jacoba van Heemskerck studied at the Royal Academy of Art in The Hague before moving to Paris in 1901. Her early career was influenced by her exposure to the French avant-garde, though she later developed a distinct style characterized by bold color and simplified forms.

Her practice spanned painting, woodcuts, and stained glass, often exploring spiritual and rhythmic interpretations of nature. She became closely associated with the Der Sturm circle in Berlin, which played a crucial role in disseminating her work across the international modernist scene.

Today, her work is recognized for its contribution to the evolution of Dutch modernism. Her pieces remain central to institutional surveys of early twentieth-century art, including recent collection presentations at the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam that contextualize her output within the broader history of European avant-garde movements.