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During Amid those chaotic period after the Great War, as creative exploration thrived, critics were captivated by the ambiguously titled contemporary Tour Donas. “There is an unusual allure in Donas’s art that we are not accustomed to artists of his movement,” noted a critic, “a kind of modest hesitation that seems to reveal a woman’s touch.” His work, was in fact, her work, specifically Donas herself, a Belgian who had taken a gender-neutral name to succeed in the art scene dominated by men.

Using this identity, Marthe had a meteoric rise, prior to fading from view. Currently, Antwerp is hosting a major exhibition positioning her alongside modernist masters, together with Amedeo Modigliani plus other luminaries. The exhibition, starting this weekend at KMSKA, showcases numerous creations, ranging from cubist compositions in warm colours, shimmering impressions of textiles, plus minimalist forms.

Abstract expression goes hand in hand with refinement,” an expert stated. We see a real drive for renewal, for innovation … alongside that is this incredible thirst, a hunger for classical beauty.”

In contrast to provocative modernists, the association eschewed rebellion, stated by the exhibition organizer. Among the highlights featured is the work The Dance, which Donas painted over 1918 and 1919. This piece had been missing, until discovered in Japan in preparation for the current show.

Beginnings and Struggles

The artist entered life in 1885 to a well-to-do French-speaking family in the city. A forebear practiced realism, yet her parent was not keen on her artistic ambitions; he pulled her out from art school early on following just one month.

A decade later, Donas enrolled again, set on becoming a painter, after a life-changing accident. She tumbled from a rooftop while trying to catch a glimpse of King Albert I, who was visiting Antwerp, smashing through a glass ceiling as she descended. Her training ceased due to wartime events. Although her family left to the Netherlands, she traveled to Dublin, pursuing artistic training and learned how to make stained glass creation. Following time in Paris, crucial for her development, depleting her resources, she relocated south as a drawing instructor to a rich lady.

Innovation and Alliance

Donas met Archipenko on the French Riviera. The pair soon clicked. He called her “the finest learner” and advocated for her work. Donas created paintings with unique contours, works that shunned standard rectangular frames opting for irregular outlines emphasizing cubist alterations.

Today’s non-rectangular works usually associate with a different pioneer, curators argue she led the way among her peers to invent this innovative approach.

Yet her role was overlooked. Then, modernist movements were dominated by men; too intellectual, too logical, for women.

Recognition and Legacy

Now, after decades, her work is receiving attention. KMSKA, recently renovated, seeks to feature women creators within its holdings. Previously, only one piece was owned from her oeuvre, which was not always on display.

The exhibition aligns with a rising effort to recover forgotten female talents, such as other historical figures. Similar shows have unveiled from dusty storerooms creations by other pioneers across different styles.

A specialist devoted twenty years working to promote Donas, praising “the elegance, the colours, the innovation and the aesthetic” of her work. An organizer involved in the project questions the dismissive treatment by her peers. Contrary to belief, she wasn’t “a young pupil” when she met Archipenko, rather a mature creator in her own right.

Later Life and Enduring Impact

The partnership between Donas and Archipenko had ended by mid-1921. Donas married and moved to a pastoral setting; Archipenko emigrated to America. Subsequently, she disappeared from the artistic map for twenty years from the late 1920s, after she unexpectedly became a mother in mid-life. Later in life, she minimized the connection with Archipenko, saying it was merely “a short time in his workshop”.

This presentation displays a stronger innovative drive. It ends with two artworks: a composition by Donas reflecting a piece by Archipenko held onto afterward. The vivid colours and curves of the two works work together, although specialists emphasize “she created independently, avoiding replication”.

• This collection Enchanting Modernism is hosted in Antwerp closing in January 2026.