Ursula von Rydingsvärd is an American artist of Polish origin born in 1942 in Germany, where her parents were deported for labour. She has worked in Brooklyn, New York for more than 30 years. The artist is one of the best recognised American artists. She is best known for her large-scale, monumental sculptures made of cedar wood, into which she rubs powdered graphite, giving the works their characteristic texture. Her sculptures are characterised by dynamism and minutiae that carry a powerful emotional charge. One of her outdoor bronze works stood in front of Denning House at Stanford University. A characteristic element of her work is the giving of Polish titles to many of her works.