Donas, Archipenko & La Section d'Or
Enchanting Modernism
- First Comprehensive Focus on Donas: Highlights Marthe Donas as the first internationally successful female avant-garde artist from Antwerp—a long-overlooked pioneer in modern art
- Strong Institutional Backing: Produced in collaboration with the Marthe Donas Foundation, the Archipenko Foundation, and major museums including the KMSKA and Saarlandmuseum
- International Context: Situates Donas within La Section d’Or, alongside iconic artists like Archipenko, Brancusi, Braque, and Léger
- Spotlight on Women in Modernism: Emphasises the critical role of women artists in the Cubist and avant-garde movements, including Natalia Goncharova and Marie Vassilieff
- Rich Visual Content: Features high-quality reproductions of rare works in Donas’s distinctive "pearly" colour palette and cubist style
- Cross-Border Appeal: Appeals to Belgian, French, German, and international audiences interested in modernist art and cultural history
- Catalogue accompanying the eponymous exhibition at the KMSKA in Antwerp, from 4 October 2025 to 11 January 2026
Shortly after the First World War, the enigmatic name ‘Tour Donas’ began to appear in avant-garde magazines and exhibitions across Europe. It was the pseudonym of the Antwerp artist Marthe Donas, who quickly earned recognition for her innovative, colourful and refined paintings. In 1917, whilst on the French Riviera, she met Alexander Archipenko, the visionary Ukrainian-born artist who later became an American citizen. He became her mentor and the source of her inspiration. Working together at the Château de Valrose also led to a brief romantic liaison.
This book highlights the couple’s creative interaction, locates their work within the international network of La Section d’Or, the reconstituted artists’ group in Paris, and explores their relationship with key figures including Herwarth Walden, Theo van Doesburg and Katherine Dreier. A visually rich rediscovery of an intriguing artist duo and their place in the avantgarde in the early years of the last century.
With contributions by, among others, Peter J.H. Pauwels and Adriaan Gonnissen (eds.).
- Publisher
- Hannibal Books
- ISBN
- 9789493416406
- Published
- 28th Oct 2025
- Binding
- Hardback
- Territory
- World excluding Benelux, France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Portugal, Spain, and Italy
- Size
- 280 mm x 240 mm
- Pages
- 352 Pages
Distributed by ACC Art Books
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