I In the the chaotic era following World War I, as creative exploration flourished, critics were intrigued by the ambiguously titled contemporary artist Tour Donas. “There is a kind of appeal in the creations of Tour Donas unfamiliar in artists of his movement,” wrote one, “an element of modest hesitation implying a woman’s touch.” These pieces, was in fact, created by Marthe Donas, namely Donas herself, a Belgian who had taken a non-gendered alias to navigate the art scene dominated by men.
As Tour Donas, the artist enjoyed a brief but dazzling career, prior to fading from view. Currently, her hometown showcases a major exhibition to place her alongside modernist masters, with Amedeo Modigliani and renowned creators. This showcase, starting this weekend at the Royal Museum of Fine Arts (KMSKA), highlights 55 of her works, ranging from cubist compositions with rich hues, textile-inspired shimmer, and geometric abstractions.
“A sense of abstraction is paired with refinement,” an expert stated. One finds a genuine push for innovation, for innovation … but there is also a powerful yearning, a craving for timeless grace.”
Unlike provocative modernists, this artistic group were not radicals, according to the art historian. A standout piece featured is the work The Dance, created by Donas in 1918-19. This piece was considered lost, until found in Japan while organizing this exhibition.
Beginnings and Struggles
She entered life in 1885 from a prosperous francophone household in her birthplace. An ancestor was a realist artist, yet her parent opposed her artistic ambitions; he pulled her out from training early on very quickly.
Ten years afterward, Donas enrolled again, committed to her craft, post-accident. A fall from a roof while attempting to see the king, on a trip to the city, crashing downward as she descended. Her education ceased due to wartime events. As her relatives escaped to the Netherlands, she traveled to Dublin, where she studied art mastering the craft of glass art. After a spell in Paris, which was pivotal for her art, depleting her resources, she relocated south teaching drawing for a wealthy woman.
Innovation and Alliance
She encountered Archipenko during 1917 in Nice. They quickly bonded. He called her “my best student” and started championing her art. Donas created unconventionally formed artworks, pieces that rejected traditional rectangles in favor of distinctive forms emphasizing their cubist distortions.
While modern shaped paintings usually associate with another European creator, curators argue she led the way of her generation to pioneer this “totally different art form”.
Yet her role was ignored. At the time, modernist movements were dominated by men; overly cerebral, too logical, for female artists.
Rediscovery and Impact
Over a hundred years later, she is finally being acknowledged. The museum, recently renovated, aims to highlight artists who are women in its displays. Before the revamp, the museum had only one by Donas, which was not always on display.
This event reflects a growing movement to resurrect overlooked women artists, including earlier innovators. Parallel events have brought out from storage creations by other pioneers from various movements.
An art historian dedicated a long time trying to bring attention to the artist, who he admires for “the elegance, the colours, the innovation and the beauty” of her creations. A contributor for the show denounces the patronizing attitude from her era. She wasn’t “a young pupil” at the time of their meeting, instead an established painter with her own voice.
Final Chapters and Legacy
The connection of the two artists dissolved by the early 1920s. After marrying, she moved to rural Belgium; her mentor left for the US. Subsequently, she disappeared from the art scene for two decades from the late 1920s, following motherhood in mid-life. Decades later, she understated their relationship, saying it was merely “a brief period in his workshop”.
The current show reveals a much more intense creative spark. It ends with two works: a composition by Donas seemingly influenced by a piece by Archipenko she kept after the break-up. The bright hues and lines from each artwork are in harmony, although specialists emphasize “she does something of her own, she didn’t imitate”.
- This collection highlighting captivating art is on view through early 2026.
