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A Amid the turbulent period following the Great War, as artistic experiment blossomed, commentators were intrigued by the pseudonymous avant-garde artist Tour Donas. “We observe a kind of allure in the creations of Tour Donas that we are not accustomed to seeing in painters of his school,” wrote one, “a kind of modest hesitation implying a feminine sensitivity.” His work, in reality, her work, that is Marthe Donas, from Belgium who had taken an androgynous pseudonym to get on in the art scene dominated by men.

Using this identity, she enjoyed a brief but dazzling career, before falling into obscurity. Now, Antwerp showcases a major exhibition positioning her alongside modernist masters, with Amedeo Modigliani as well as other luminaries. This showcase, which opens on Saturday in Antwerp’s premier art museum, highlights 55 of her works, from cubist paintings in warm colours, glimmering fabric motifs, to flatter abstract pieces.

“A sense of abstraction complements elegance,” an expert stated. One finds a real drive for renewal, for change … yet there exists a powerful yearning, an appetite for traditional aesthetics.”

Differing from provocative modernists, La Section d’Or were not radicals, according to the curator. Among the highlights featured is titled The Dance, created by Donas over 1918 and 1919. This piece was considered lost, until discovered in Japan in preparation for the current show.

Beginnings and Struggles

Marthe Donas came into the world in 1885 to a well-to-do family speaking French in Antwerp. A forebear practiced realism, however, her father was not keen on his daughter following this path; he removed her from art school in 1902 following just one month.

A decade later, she resumed her education, set on becoming a painter, following a pivotal incident. She tumbled from a rooftop while attempting to see King Albert I, during a royal visit, breaking through glass during the fall. Her training ceased due to wartime events. As her relatives escaped for the Netherlands, Marthe went to Dublin, pursuing artistic training and learned how to make stained glass creation. After a spell in Paris, crucial for her development, depleting her resources, she relocated south as a drawing instructor to a rich lady.

Creative Evolution and Partnership

She encountered Archipenko on the French Riviera. They quickly bonded. He described her as “the finest learner” and began to promote her art. Donas created her shaped paintings, works that shunned standard rectangular frames for uniquely shaped pictures that highlighted their distorted perspectives.

Today’s non-rectangular works are often attributed to another European creator, experts believe she led the way in that era to develop this distinct style.

But her contribution was overlooked. Then, cubist and abstract works were dominated by men; too intellectual, too rational, for female artists.

Recognition and Legacy

Now, after decades, her work is receiving attention. The institution, freshly restored, aims to highlight women creators within its holdings. Before the revamp, only one piece was owned by Donas, which was not always on display.

The exhibition aligns with a rising effort to rediscover overlooked women artists, such as other historical figures. Other exhibitions have retrieved from obscurity the works of additional female artists spanning multiple eras.

An expert dedicated a long time trying to bring attention to her work, appreciating “the elegance, the palette, the originality and the aesthetic” of her creations. An organizer of the exhibition denounces the patronizing attitude by her peers. Contrary to belief, she wasn’t “a novice” during their collaboration, rather a mature creator with her own voice.

Later Years and Lasting Influence

The connection they shared had ended by mid-1921. Donas married and moved to rural Belgium; he moved overseas. She then vanished from the artistic map for two decades starting in the 1920s, following motherhood at age 45. Decades later, she minimized his influence, claiming she had only spent “a short time with him”.

This exhibition reveals a much more intense creative spark. It ends with a pair of pieces: one by Donas that appears to have been inspired by an Archipenko sculpture held onto afterward. The vivid colours and curves from each artwork complement each other, yet observers remark “she forged her own path, avoiding replication”.

• Donas, Archipenko & La Section d’Or showcasing modernist charm is on view closing in January 2026.