Jean Antoine Petit-Senn
Petit-Senn was born in Geneva, when it was still the Republic of Geneva. Six years later it was occupied by the army of the French First Republic. Petit-Senn studied at the Academy of Geneva and then did an apprenticeship with a commercial company in Lyon.
Also recorded as John Petit-Senn · Yan Peti San
Jean Antoine Petit-Senn
François Vuagnat (1826 - 1910) · https: bge-geneve.ch/iconographie/oeuvre/icon-p-1935-113 · Public domain
- Born
- 1792 · Geneva.
- Died
- 1870 · Chêne-Bourg.
- Nationality
- Republic of Geneva · France · Switzerland
- Occupation
- poet · writer · singer · politician · editor
- Education
- University of Geneva
- Languages
- French
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Petit-Senn was born in Geneva, when it was still the Republic of Geneva. Six years later it was occupied by the army of the French First Republic. Petit-Senn studied at the Academy of Geneva and then did an apprenticeship with a commercial company in Lyon.
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wikidata · Q16065672 · wikipedia · Jean Antoine Petit-Senn
In this article
Life
Life
Following his return to Geneva in 1813, when it was still occupied by the French First Empire, he participated in the cultural life of the city. After Geneva joined the Swiss Confederation in 1814/15, Petit-Senn also engaged in politics, serving as a member of the cantonal parliament from 1829 until 1839. Petit-Senn is buried at the cemetery of Chêne-Bougeries.
Petit-Senn was born in Geneva, when it was still the Republic of Geneva. Six years later it was occupied by the army of the French First Republic. Petit-Senn studied at the Academy of Geneva and then did an apprenticeship with a commercial company in Lyon. Following his return to Geneva in 1813, when it was still occupied by the French First Empire, he participated in the cultural life of the city. After Geneva joined the Swiss Confederation in 1814/15, Petit-Senn also engaged in politics, serving as a member of the cantonal parliament from 1829 until 1839. Petit-Senn is buried at the cemetery of Chêne-Bougeries.
Identity and origins
Identity and origins
The authorities additionally record the headings John Petit-Senn and Yan Peti San. His recorded language was French. His recorded confession was reformed.
Identity
Identity
Jean Antoine Petit-Senn is recorded as poet, writer, singer, politician and editor.
Portrait photo of Genevan novelist, poet and singer Jean Antoine Petit-Senn (1792-1870), better known as John Petit-Senn, from the collections of the Bibliothèque de Genève.
François Vuagnat (1826 - 1910) · https: bge-geneve.ch/iconographie/oeuvre/icon-p-1977-42-3
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
Explore 1792–1870
The full dated record · 3 entries
1792
Jean Antoine Petit-Senn born at Geneva.
1863
Porträt von Jean Antoine Petit-Senn digitised by DataCite (n.a.).
1870
Jean Antoine Petit-Senn died at Chêne-Bourg.
Places
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Places
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Geneva.
Birth place
Chêne-Bourg.
Death place
Primary material
Digitised editions and texts
Porträt von Jean Antoine Petit-Senn (1863) — DataCite (n.a.)
Legacy
• Illustration — Petit-Senn's grave According to the 11th edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica he was a thorough Genevese and a biting satirist, a pensive poet, the Genevese La Bruyère, as he liked to be called, but was not fully appreciated till after his death, when his widely scattered writings were brought together. Among many quotes attributed to him is this one... "Not what we have, but what we enjoy, constitutes our abundance."...which appeared in the American comic strip Mutts on 19 November 2007.
Literature
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reference work
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Secondary witness
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 16 August 2026.
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