Paris' Hotel de Ville pays tribute to the French cartoonist Jean-Jacques Sempé with a retrospective exhibition "Sempé, un peu de Paris et d'ailleurs"of more than 300 of his illustrations (until March 31).  Known simply by the name Sempé (born 1932, Bordeaux) his work is often described as a melange of humor and poetry and is considered by many to be a kind of love song to daily life in the French capital. He is best known for his posterlike illustrations, usually drawn from a distant or high viewpoint depicting urban settings.

This free exhibition provides an overview of Sempé’s work from teenage drawings to illustrations of Paris and his favorite French character Mesieur Lambert to his numerous press and magazine cartoons.  Sempé gained international attention creating over one hundred covers for The New Yorker since 1978.

Mentioning the name Sempé most French think of the "Le petit Nicolas"  childrens’ books created by René Goscinny in 1959 illustrated by Sempé. This much adored series, evoking an ideal childhood and a nostalgic memory of the 1950s, is considered by many to be a staple in the collective consciousness of modern French culture spanning generations.

"Sempé, un peu de Paris et d'ailleurs" To March 31, 2012, free exhibition at the Hôtel de Ville. Metro: Hôtel de Ville.
Daily except Sundays and public holidays, from 10am to 7pm
Last entrance at 6.30pm