Silk painting Sino-French War Qing Dynasty China

Watercolor on silk depicting an interesting historical event. It portrays a battle between the French colonial army, composed of Foreign Legionnaires, Marines, and African and Annamite auxiliary troops, and an army of Tonkinese and Chinese troops known as the "Black Flags." The battle takes place in front of a fortified city, likely Tuyen Kuang (1884-85), where French troops were besieged for months. The painting shows the arrival of reinforcements to break the siege. In the upper right corner, almost faded, two dirigibles deployed for enemy observation are visible, attesting to a large-scale battle with significant resources. 135 x 79 cm. No restoration. An exceptional historical document. At the top center of the painting, five Chinese characters are painted in India ink. They will likely indicate the precise location of the battle.135x80cm.