Werner Mantz

Werner Mantz was a photographer whose documented period of activity spanned 1925 to 1928. His surviving work is characterized by rigorous documentation of modern architecture and urban development in the mid-1920s, a crucial phase for photographic modernism. Mantz’s images exhibit a precise focus on geometry and function, often capturing the unadorned aesthetics of new building projects.

Five of his photographs are represented in institutional holdings, notably within the collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). His subjects often centered on housing developments and commercial infrastructure, exemplified by the series documenting the Cologne Kalkerfeld Settlement. This includes the works Cologne Kalkerfeld Settlement, Balcony of the Penthouse of the "Blue Court", Cologne Kalkerfeld Settlement, Entrance, and the detail shot Cologne Kalkerfeld Settlement, Streetlight. Other preserved subjects include commercial spaces, such as Untitled (Sinn Department Store).

The few surviving examples of Mantz's output are essential documents of European interwar modernism. The existence of these original pieces ensures that examples of genuine Werner Mantz prints are preserved for historical reference. Today, these works are often replicated as high-quality prints for academic purposes. The institutional preservation of these images provides a reference standard for museum-quality architectural photography from the period.