Johannes Senn was born in Liestal, Switzerland on September 17, 1780.  The brother of painter Jacob Senn, Johannes studied art in Switzerland and then traveled to Copenhagen Denmark for further study.  He is often classified as a Scandinavian artist.

His work seems to have been primarily figurative and portraiture and sometimes tended to caricature.  He also worked as an illustrator, doing costume plates, etc.

Johannes Senn died in his hometown of Liestal, Switzerland on his birthday on September 17, 1861 at age 81.