For the main part self-taught, Schrimpf drew inspiration from the Old Masters, in combination with the avant-garde tendencies he first encountered in Munich in 1909.
In 1935, three years before his untimely death at the age of 48, he painted his 2ft 4in x 21in (70 x 53cm) Mädchen am Fenster (Young Girl at the Window). On the reverse of the frame the painting is also a title Am Morgen (In the Morning).
Having spent the last 70 years in a local collection, it was the surprise hit at Van Ham (29/25% buyer’s premium) on June 10.
By this phase, Schrimpf had abandoned any signs of Expressionism, which could be found in his earlier work, devoting himself instead to Neue Sachlichkeit (New Objectivity).
His distinctive style was also influenced by Italian Neoclassical painters such as Carlo Carrà, whose work he encountered during long stays in Italy in the years leading up to the First World War.
A flurry of bids pushed the price way past the estimate of €50,000-70,000, with the hammer falling at €195,000 (£174,110). The successful bid came from a collector from Hesse.
