A wonderful genre painting of a gentleman playing an oboe by John Arthur Lomax. The man, who is dressed in the scarlet robe of a Judge, plays his instrument using a makeshift music lectern set up on a footstool. To the left, a wig hangs from the back of the winged armchair, whilst on the table by the window lies a discarded open book.

John Arthur Lomax was born in Chorlton near Manchester in 1857 to John and Hellen Lomax. His father ran a successful art restoration and frame making business and the family lived in North Meols near Southport. The family wealth enabled him to receive a good education and he left England to attend art school in Stuttgart and at the Munich Academy. After graduating, he returned to the Stockport living in Sandridge near Didsbury, where he established himself as an artist and began painting genre scenes. Many of his works feature figures in historical costumes, usually gentlemen conversing in taverns or employed in solitary pursuits at home, such as this fine example.

He made his debut at the Royal Academy in 1880 with 3 paintings and continued to exhibit there regularly over the years. He began exhibiting at the Royal Society of British Artists from 1882 and was later elected a member in 1891. Lomax married Eliza Rigby Lings on 10 March, 1881 at Didsbury and together they had two daughters, Nellie and Mary. The family lived at Wellington Road in Heaton Norris, near Stockport and his success enabled him to keep servants.

By 1889, the family had moved to London living first at 39 Alma Square in St John’s Wood and then at 17 Marlborough Road from 1892 where he spent the rest of his life. Lomax died at the Clinique Saint-George, Menton whilst on a visit to France on 13 December, 1923. Examples of his work can be found at the Laing Gallery, Manchester Art Gallery, Sheffield Museum and the Walker Art Gallery.

© Benton Fine Art