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I n those turbulent era following World War I, as artistic experiment flourished, commentators were intrigued by the mysteriously named modernist artist Tour Donas. “There is a kind of charm in Tour Donas’s work rarely seen among seeing in painters of his school,” wrote one, “a sense of soft reserve implying a woman’s touch.” These pieces, was in fact, by a woman, namely Donas herself, an Antwerp native using a non-gendered alias to succeed in the male-dominated art world.

Using this identity, Marthe experienced a short yet brilliant period, before falling into obscurity. Today, the city of her birth is hosting a major exhibition to place her in the modernist pantheon, together with Amedeo Modigliani and prominent figures. The exhibition, which opens on Saturday in Antwerp’s premier art museum, features 55 of her works, including cubist artworks with rich hues, shimmering impressions of textiles, and geometric abstractions.

“A sense of abstraction is paired with grace,” a specialist noted. “There is a true quest for novelty, for change … yet there exists an immense desire, a hunger for traditional aesthetics.”

Unlike more radical artists, La Section d’Or eschewed rebellion, according to the curator. One of the most prized works featured is titled The Dance, painted by the artist during 1918-1919. This piece was considered lost, before being located in Japan while organizing this exhibition.

Beginnings and Struggles

Marthe Donas entered life in 1885 from a prosperous francophone household in her birthplace. An ancestor practiced realism, however, her father opposed his daughter following this path; he pulled her out from training in 1902 following just one month.

A decade later, she returned to school, determined to be an artist, post-accident. A fall from a roof hoping to view King Albert I, on a trip to the city, breaking through glass as she descended. Her education were halted by the 1914 invasion. As her relatives escaped for the Netherlands, Donas headed to Ireland, pursuing artistic training mastering the craft of stained glass creation. Following time in Paris, crucial for her development, but drained her savings, she went to the French Riviera as a drawing instructor to an affluent patron.

Innovation and Alliance

The artist connected with Archipenko during 1917 in Nice. The pair soon clicked. He referred to her as “my best student” and advocated for her art. Donas created unconventionally formed artworks, works that shunned conventional shapes for uniquely shaped pictures that highlighted cubist alterations.

Today’s non-rectangular works usually associate with another European creator, curators argue she led the way among her peers to invent this “totally different art form”.

However, her input was overlooked. During that period, cubist and abstract works were considered masculine domains; overly cerebral, too calculated, for female artists.

Appreciation and Influence

More than a century later, Donas is slowly gaining recognition. The museum, recently renovated, aims to highlight women creators in the collection. Previously, only one piece was owned of Donas’s works, infrequently shown.

The exhibition aligns with a rising effort to resurrect forgotten female talents, such as other historical figures. Parallel events have retrieved from storage the works of additional female artists across different styles.

An expert dedicated a long time working to promote her work, who he admires for “the elegance, the palette, the originality and the beauty” in her art. A contributor of the exhibition denounces the patronizing attitude from her era. She was not “a young pupil” at the time of their meeting, but a 32-year old artist with her own voice.

Later Life and Enduring Impact

The connection of the two artists concluded around 1921. Donas married and moved to a pastoral setting; her mentor left for the US. Then Donas dropped off the art scene for two decades starting in the 1920s, when she had a child in mid-life. Decades later, she understated the connection with Archipenko, stating it was just “a few months working in his workshop”.

This exhibition reveals a much more intense creative spark. Finishing with a pair of pieces: one by Donas reflecting a piece by Archipenko she kept after the break-up. The vivid colours and curves from each artwork work together, yet observers remark “she does something of her own, she didn’t imitate”.

• Donas, Archipenko & La Section d’Or Enchanting Modernism is on view closing in January 2026.