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I n those turbulent era after the first world war, when artistic experiment blossomed, critics were captivated by the mysteriously named modernist the name Tour Donas. “We observe a kind of charm in Donas’s art rarely seen among artists of his movement,” wrote one, “an element of gentle timidity implying a woman’s touch.” His work, actually, by a woman, that is the Belgian artist, an Antwerp native who adopted a non-gendered alias to succeed in the art scene dominated by men.

Under this pseudonym, Marthe enjoyed a brief but dazzling career, before falling into obscurity. Today, her hometown is hosting a major exhibition to place her alongside modernist masters, with Piet Mondrian plus other luminaries. The exhibition, starting this weekend at the Royal Museum of Fine Arts (KMSKA), features numerous creations, including cubist artworks with rich hues, glimmering fabric motifs, and geometric abstractions.

The feeling of abstraction goes hand in hand with refinement,” a specialist noted. We see a real drive for renewal, for advancement … yet there exists a powerful yearning, an appetite for classical beauty.”

Differing from provocative modernists, this artistic group were not radicals, stated by the exhibition organizer. A standout piece featured is the work The Dance, created by Donas during 1918-1919. This piece was considered lost, until discovered in Japan while organizing the current show.

Beginnings and Struggles

She came into the world in 1885 into an affluent French-speaking family in Antwerp. An ancestor had been a realist painter, yet her parent was not keen on her artistic ambitions; he withdrew her from art school early on after a month.

A decade later, she resumed her education, committed to her craft, after a life-changing accident. She tumbled from a rooftop while attempting to see the king, on a trip to the city, smashing through a glass ceiling during the fall. Her training were halted by the German invasion of 1914. As her relatives escaped to the Netherlands, Marthe went to Dublin, pursuing artistic training mastering the craft of glass art. Post-Paris stay, which was pivotal for her art, yet exhausted her funds, she relocated south as a drawing instructor to an affluent patron.

Artistic Breakthrough and Collaboration

She encountered Archipenko in Nice in 1917. They quickly bonded. He called her “my best student” and started championing her work. She pioneered unconventionally formed artworks, art that avoided traditional rectangles in favor of distinctive forms that highlighted cubist alterations.

Although contemporary shaped art are often attributed to another European creator, historians contend she pioneered among her peers to develop this innovative approach.

However, her input was overlooked. Then, cubist and abstract works were considered masculine domains; too intellectual, too rational, for female artists.

Recognition and Legacy

Now, after decades, Donas is slowly gaining recognition. The museum, which reopened in 2022, wants to promote women creators within its holdings. Earlier, only one piece was owned from her oeuvre, rarely exhibited.

This event aligns with a rising effort to resurrect forgotten female talents, such as pioneers from the past. Similar shows have retrieved from storage the works of additional female artists from various movements.

An expert dedicated a long time advocating for the artist, praising “the elegance, the colours, the innovation and the aesthetic” of her creations. A co-curator for the show criticises the condescension of Donas’s contemporaries. She was not “a novice” when she met Archipenko, instead an established painter with her own voice.

Later Life and Enduring Impact

The relationship between Donas and Archipenko dissolved by the early 1920s. Donas married and moved to a pastoral setting; Archipenko emigrated to America. Subsequently, she disappeared from the art scene for twenty years after the 1920s, after she unexpectedly became a mother at age 45. Years afterward, she minimized the connection with Archipenko, claiming she had only spent “a brief period at the sculptor’s studio”.

This exhibition uncovers a far deeper artistic energy. It ends with a pair of pieces: one by Donas that appears to have been inspired by his sculpture held onto afterward. The bright hues and lines from each artwork work together, although specialists emphasize “she forged her own path, she never copied”.

• Donas, Archipenko & La Section d’Or Enchanting Modernism is hosted in Antwerp through early 2026.