This painting is of Nini Lopez in the garden next to Renoir’s Montmatre studio in Paris at 12 rue Cortot.
Nini was one of Renoir’s favourite models, appearing in several of Renoir’s rue Cortot garden paintings, as well as other works. According to Christie’s, not much is known of her life. She was “punctual, serious and discrete”, and she fell in love with, and married, a “third -rate actor” from Montmatre.
I didn’t know any of this when I wrote the following poem. I was struck by Nini’s thoughtful pose and demeanour. Looking back, it’s quite possible she may very well have been thinking of spinach and squash.
More of my ekphrastic poetry here. More on the treochair form here.
Nini in the Garden
She ponders
which seeds to sow this season –
spinach, squash, silver beet, swedes?
Past plantings
of parsnips, chard and pumpkins –
picked or pickled for neighbours.
Corn, carrots,
cucumber, cauliflower.
Gifts that cost nothing but work.
She ponders
a legacy of caring –
her heirloom of tomatoes.
©elsp 2025
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