Donas, Archipenko & La Section d’Or

Enchanting Modernism
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 avant-garde in the early years of the last century.