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During In the the turbulent period following the Great War, as artistic experiment thrived, critics were captivated by the pseudonymous avant-garde artist Tour Donas. “We observe a certain allure in Donas’s art rarely seen among his contemporaries,” wrote one, “a kind of soft reserve suggesting a feminine sensitivity.” His work, in reality, her work, specifically the Belgian artist, from Belgium who adopted a gender-neutral name to get on in the art scene dominated by men.

Using this identity, Marthe enjoyed a brief but dazzling career, prior to fading from view. Currently, her hometown is hosting an extensive show establishing her alongside modernist masters, with Amedeo Modigliani and other luminaries. This showcase, launching shortly at KMSKA, showcases numerous creations, including cubist artworks with rich hues, glimmering fabric motifs, plus minimalist forms.

Abstract expression complements grace,” an expert stated. We see a genuine push for innovation, for advancement … but there is also an immense desire, an appetite for classical beauty.”

In contrast to provocative modernists, the association were not radicals, according to the curator. A standout piece on display is titled The Dance, which Donas painted during 1918-1919. The work was considered lost, until discovered in Japan in preparation for the Antwerp display.

Beginnings and Struggles

The artist entered life in 1885 from a prosperous family speaking French in the city. A forebear had been a realist painter, but Donas’s father did not support her artistic ambitions; he withdrew her from training early on after a month.

A decade later, Donas enrolled again, committed to her craft, after a life-changing accident. She tumbled from a rooftop hoping to view King Albert I, on a trip to the city, smashing through a glass ceiling during the fall. Her training were then interrupted by wartime events. As her relatives escaped for the Netherlands, she traveled to Dublin, where she studied art mastering the craft of glass art. Post-Paris stay, crucial for her development, yet exhausted her funds, she went to the French Riviera as an art tutor for a wealthy woman.

Artistic Breakthrough and Collaboration

She encountered Archipenko in Nice in 1917. The pair soon clicked. He called her “the finest learner” and started championing her work. She pioneered her shaped paintings, art that avoided conventional shapes for uniquely shaped pictures that highlighted their cubist distortions.

Today’s non-rectangular works usually associate with the Hungarian artist, historians contend Donas was the first among her peers to pioneer this innovative approach.

Yet her role remained unrecognized. During that period, modernist movements were seen as male preserves; overly cerebral, too logical, for female artists.

Appreciation and Influence

Over a hundred years later, her work is receiving attention. KMSKA, which reopened in 2022, seeks to feature women creators within its holdings. Earlier, the museum had only one of Donas’s works, which was not always on display.

The showcase mirrors an expanding trend to resurrect long-neglected female masters, like pioneers from the past. Other exhibitions have unveiled from dusty storerooms creations by more women across different styles.

An art historian devoted twenty years advocating for the artist, praising “the grace, the palette, the originality and the aesthetic” in her art. A co-curator involved in the project questions the dismissive treatment of Donas’s contemporaries. Contrary to belief, she wasn’t “a novice” at the time of their meeting, rather a mature creator independently.

Later Years and Lasting Influence

The relationship of the two artists had ended by mid-1921. After marrying, she moved to a pastoral setting; he moved overseas. Then Donas dropped off public view for a long period starting in the 1920s, after she unexpectedly became a mother at age 45. Decades later, she minimized their relationship, saying it was merely “a brief period at the sculptor’s studio”.

This exhibition uncovers a far deeper artistic energy. Finishing with two artworks: her work reflecting his sculpture she kept after the break-up. The bright hues and lines in both pieces are in harmony, but experts note “she forged her own path, she didn’t imitate”.

• Donas, Archipenko & La Section d’Or Enchanting Modernism is on view through early 2026.