The Artist, August 1958
David Wu Ject-Key was born on May 24, 1895 at Chung Shan, China. The birth date was on his World War II draft card. The birthplace was in his Who’s Who in American Art (1959) entry and brief profile in American Artist. Presently all publications and online profiles say Ject-Key was born in 1890. The source of that date is not known.
The profile at Vose Galleries said Ject-Key lived in China for twelve years before immigrating to Canada, presumably with one or both parents. In The Artist, September 1958, Ject-Key said he was in his early teens when he went to Canada. American Artist, June 1962, said Ject-Key was born 1897. After finishing high school he went to Canada and studied four years at the Royal Canadian Academy in Montreal. In 1925 he moved to New York City.
Actually Ject-Key moved to New York City in November 1920. He traveled on the Canadian Pacific Railway from Montreal to St. Albans, Vermont. The purpose was to study for a number of years (column 20) in New York. His Chinese Exclusion Act case file is not available.
American Artist said “he continued intensive training for six years at the Art Students League and the Grand Central Art School.”
Ject-Key has not been found in the 1925 New York State Census. A 1925 New York City directory listed him at 1947 Broadway in room 508.
On June 11, 1927, “Daniel” Ject-Key and Elrebette [sic] Kjaersgaard married in Manhattan. His address was 1949 Broadway. The artist claimed his birthplace was Montreal, Canada.
Ject-Key and his wife have not been found in the 1930 United States Census. The Handbook of Chinese Students in U.S.A., 1933, had this entry:
David, Jectkey, Art, Art Student’s League, 40 [sic] E. 9th St., N. Y. C., N. Y.The building number was 49. The New York Daily News, August 20, 1935, published the following item from Ed Sullivan’s “Broadway” column.
Interesting story on O. Henry in the “Villager” by Lefty Leftwich, member of the 1924 U. S. Olympic team. He found that David Jectkey, a portrait painter, now occupies the skylight attic at 49 E. 9th where O. Henry worked and lived forty years ago.
A 1958 issue of Zig Zag said
We visit the studio of David Ject-Key, Chinese-born artist who combines the techniques of his native land and the Western countries in which he studied. We will watch Ject-Key at work and have a discussion of with both of them of Oriental and Western art. Those of us who enjoy historic associations will be delighted to know that Mr. Ject-Key lives in the “Skylight Room” once occupied by O. Henry and immortalized in his short story of that name.The 1940 census counted Ject-Key (line 1) and his wife, both artists, at 49 East Ninth Street in Manhattan. They were self-employed.
The same address was on Ject-Key’s World War II draft card which he signed on April 27, 1942. His description was five feet six-and-a-half inches, 130 pounds, with brown eyes and black hair.
On August 10, 1942 Ject-Key’s wife, Elsie, began the naturalization process. On her declaration application was Ject-Key’s birth information and immigration date and place. Ject-Key’s declaration application is not available.
In 1945 both were naturalized; Elsie on January 15 and Ject-Key on May 16. He had changed his name from David Ject-Key to David Wu Ject-Key.
On August 24, 1946 Ject-Key and his wife were aboard the ship Gripsholm when it departed Gothenburg, Sweden. They arrived at the port of New York on September 3, 1946.
In the 1950 census Ject-Key (line 4) and his wife, both fine arts painters, continued to reside at 49 East 9th Street, apartment 6. According to the census he was a graduate of a professional school and did not serve in the United States Armed Forces.
Ject-Key was a member of the Salmagundi Club.
On September 26, 1955 Ject-Key and his wife flew on TWA from Paris, France bound for New York City.
On September 26, 1955 Ject-Key and his wife flew on TWA from Paris, France bound for New York City.
The Artist, September 1958
The Artist, October 1958
The Artist, November 1958
The 1959 and 1960 Manhattan directories had the same address for Ject-Key.
American Artist, June 1962, said Ject-Key’s watercolor, “Desolation”, was “awarded the American Artist Medal of Honor in the 95th Annual Exhibition of the American Watercolor Society. The painting was done on mounted rice paper, 36 x 30 inches, from a professional model.”
Ject-Key passed away on April 14, 1968. Two days later an obituary appeared in The New York Times.
Elsie passed away in December 1985.
American Artist, June 1962, said Ject-Key’s watercolor, “Desolation”, was “awarded the American Artist Medal of Honor in the 95th Annual Exhibition of the American Watercolor Society. The painting was done on mounted rice paper, 36 x 30 inches, from a professional model.”
Ject-Key passed away on April 14, 1968. Two days later an obituary appeared in The New York Times.
David Wu Ject-Key, an artist, died Sunday at Beth Israel Hospital. He lived at 333 East 41st Street.The D. Wu Ject-Key Memorial Prize was established in 1970.
Mr. Ject-Key was the recipient of 23 prizes, among them the American Artists magazine Medal of Honor.
A native of China, he studied at the Art Students League and the Grand Central Art School. His work has been exhibited by the National Academy of Design, The American Watercolor Society and others. He had a one-man show at the Grand Central Art Galleries in February.
He leaves his wife, Elsie, also an artist.
Elsie passed away in December 1985.
Further Reading and Viewing
Prize-Winning Art, Book 7: Paintings, Graphics, Watercolors, Sculpture (1967): photograph of Ject-Key
Prize-Winning Art, Book 7: Paintings, Graphics, Watercolors, Sculpture (1967): photograph of Ject-Key
