Ruth Mellinkoff (December 18, 1924-February 26, 2011).
Art historian of considerable fame, a connoisseur of the High Middle Ages and of Haute Cuisine, Ruth passed away in her own home, close to the UCLA campus where she and her late husband David Mellinkoff, Professor of Law, had been a respected and admired couple for many decades.
Dr. Mellinkoff’s major works dealt with Biblical themes (The Mark of Cain, 1981), with anti-Semitism as mirrored in the art of medieval northern Europe (Outcasts, 1993), whereas her richly illustrated Averting Demons (2004) was devoted to medial motifs of power and protection. Her collected essays appeared shortly before her death.
The recipes contained in her delicious cookbooks (some sporting items collected from friends) were featured at her dinners of unmatched charm and elegance.
Marianna D. Birnbaum, Prof.em. UCLA