France - Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur; Charles Leduc // Imp. Becquet, rue des Noyers 37 - Le Transport "Le Tonquin" en rade de Toulon - 1861-1880

Close-up portraits of the great naval transport ship Le Tonquin, moored in the calm, turquoise waters of the Toulon harbor. The vessel shows its mixed-configuration rigging as a transport and the smoke stacks of the steam engine in operation. In the background, silhouettes of other large sailing ships and fleet vessels can be seen, wrapped in a delicate atmospheric light.

The colors are extraordinarily muted and well preserved; the pastel tones of the sky and the hues of the sea maintain a pristine freshness and a clean chromatic transition, with no fading from light.