1972- 2006 Playful jewellery

Following his meeting with Bernard François, colour appeared in Émile Souply’s work, in particular through the introduction of synthetic elements.

His jewels became figurative and playful. They express a quirky and sensitive visual humour of exceptional poetic power. A light literary touch is evident in the names given to them: Le second sourire de la Joconde (The Mona Lisa’s Second Smile), Grand Carter (Large Crankcase – with a play on ‘Grand Cartier’), Mercedes, Marabout. It was as if these jewels had some dimension to their existence other than that of being worn.

Precious metals, colourful acrylics and fragments from the technological world of the seventies formed the basis of his creations. Emboldened by these new challenges, the artist exhibited his fashionable jewellery for the first time at the opening of the Galerie Néon, at Bernard François’ home in Brussels, in 1975.