🔗 Share this article Unveiling the Overlooked Modernist: A Belgian Talent Dazzles Again I In the the chaotic era after the first world war, when artistic experiment blossomed, critics were intrigued by the pseudonymous modernist Tour Donas. “We observe a certain allure in Donas’s art rarely seen among artists of his movement,” noted a critic, “an element of gentle timidity implying delicate femininity.” These pieces, was in fact, her work, specifically the Belgian artist, from Belgium who had taken a gender-neutral name to get on in the male-dominated art world. As Tour Donas, the artist enjoyed a brief but dazzling career, before falling into obscurity. Today, the city of her birth presents a significant display to place her alongside modernist masters, together with Alexander Archipenko plus other luminaries. The exhibition, starting this weekend in Antwerp’s premier art museum, features 55 of her works, ranging from cubist compositions in warm colours, glimmering fabric motifs, plus minimalist forms. Abstract expression goes hand in hand with elegance,” the curator noted. One finds a real drive for renewal, for innovation … but there is also an immense desire, a craving for classical beauty.” Unlike more radical artists, La Section d’Or were not radicals, as per the curator. Among the highlights featured is The Dance, painted by the artist over 1918 and 1919. This piece was considered lost, before being located in Japan ahead of the current show. Formative Years and Obstacles She was born in 1885 to a well-to-do French-speaking family in the city. Her grandfather was a realist artist, however, her father opposed her artistic ambitions; he withdrew her from training early on following just one month. Later on, she resumed her education, set on becoming a painter, following a pivotal incident. She fell off a roof while trying to catch a glimpse of the king, who was visiting Antwerp, crashing downward as she descended. Her studies were then interrupted by wartime events. Although her family left across the border, Donas headed to Ireland, where she studied art mastering the craft of stained glass. Following time in Paris, transformative for her style, but drained her savings, she went to the French Riviera as an art tutor for a wealthy woman. Creative Evolution and Partnership The artist connected with Archipenko during 1917 in Nice. An instant connection formed. He called her “his top pupil” and advocated for her creations. Donas created unconventionally formed artworks, works that shunned conventional shapes opting for irregular outlines accentuating cubist alterations. Today’s non-rectangular works usually associate with the Hungarian artist, experts believe Donas was the first of her generation to pioneer this distinct style. Yet her role remained unrecognized. Then, cubist and abstract works were seen as male preserves; too intellectual, too logical, for women. Appreciation and Influence More than a century later, her work is receiving attention. The museum, which reopened in 2022, seeks to feature women creators in the collection. Before the revamp, the museum had only one from her oeuvre, infrequently shown. The showcase mirrors an expanding trend to rediscover forgotten female talents, including other historical figures. Parallel events have retrieved from storage creations by more women from various movements. An art historian has spent two decades working to promote Donas, appreciating “the grace, the colours, the originality and the aesthetic” of her creations. A co-curator of the exhibition questions the dismissive treatment from her era. She was not “a young pupil” when she met Archipenko, rather a mature creator with her own voice. Final Chapters and Legacy The relationship between Donas and Archipenko concluded around 1921. She wed and relocated to the Walloon countryside; he moved overseas. Subsequently, she disappeared from public view for twenty years after the 1920s, when she had a child in mid-life. Years afterward, Donas played down his influence, stating it was just “a brief period in his workshop”. This presentation reveals a much more intense artistic energy. It ends with two artworks: her work seemingly influenced by an Archipenko sculpture she retained post-separation. The bright hues and lines in both pieces complement each other, yet observers remark “she does something of her own, she didn’t imitate”. The exhibition Enchanting Modernism is at the Royal Museum of Fine Arts until 11 January 2026.