Interieur van het hoofdlaboratorium van de suikerfabriek te Klein Wanzleben before 1894

Wilhelm Höffert made this photograph of the interior of a sugar factory’s main laboratory in Klein Wanzleben, Germany. As a document of industrial technology, the image highlights the factory's cutting-edge machinery, reflecting the optimism of Germany's industrial age. By the late 19th century, Germany had become a world leader in sugar production. The sugar industry drove technological advancements and the growth of scientific knowledge. Höffert’s photograph shows an institution dedicated to standardizing and perfecting sugar production through scientific research and technological innovation. The pristine order of the lab, typical of industrial photography from this period, conveys a sense of control and progress. To fully understand this image, we can research the history of sugar production, the development of industrial technologies, and the institutional structures of German science at the time. Examining such factors enriches our appreciation of the artwork as more than just an aesthetic object.