Vincent Mentzel

Vincent Mentzel, NRC Handelsblad

Mongolian soldiers during a training to fight potential enemies on the steppe of Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, an autonomous region within the People's Republic of China in May 1977.

Vincent Mentzel (b.1945) is a renowned Dutch photojournalist celebrated for his political and documentary photography. He began his career in the late 1960s and gained national prominence as a staff photographer for the Dutch newspaper NRC Handelsblad. Mentzel is best known for his compelling portraits of Dutch politicians and his incisive visual reporting from around the world, including China, Iran, and West Asia.

His style combines journalistic rigor with artistic sensibility, capturing both the power and vulnerability of his subjects. Mentzel's work has been widely exhibited and published, shaping the visual culture of Dutch politics for decades. He was awarded the prestigious Silver Camera multiple times and received the Dutch Order of Orange-Nassau for his contributions to photojournalism. His extensive archive is housed at the Rijksmuseum and the Nederlands Fotomuseum, securing his legacy as one of the Netherlands’ most influential photojournalists.