To the great delight of Parisians and tourists alike, City Hall frequently stages free exhibits of world-famous artwork that’s excellently curated. The latest exhibit—featuring over 300 drawings of French cartoonist Jean-Jacques Sempé– has been such a smashing success that the Hôtel de Ville today announced that the exhibit has been extended through the end of March 2012. Fans of The New Yorker will immediately recognize Sempé’s cartoons (many of which have adorned the magazine’s cover). Not only is he the father of “the cheeky 1950s schoolboy” Le Petit Nicolas, Sempé is also the illustrator behind hundreds of humorous drawings of Paris cityscapes and poetic pictures of Parisian life. Translated into twenty-five languages, the 79-year old Sempé has a unique vantage point on his beloved city- sketching from his Left Bank apartment high above the rooftops.
The exhibit "Sempé, un peu de Paris et d’ailleurs" (Sempé: A Bit of Paris and Elsewhere) is open from Monday to Saturday through March 31, 2012. For more information, see the official website: www.paris.fr