Lace as we recognize it today—the delicate, gauzy textile that edges evening wear and undergarments—emerged in northern Italy in the late 1400s. By the early 1500s, printed pattern books and traveling artisans had helped spread its techniques and designs throughout Europe. European Lace in Art and Fashion, which is the first exhibition of the Museum’s lace collection in nearly 40 years, celebrates these exquisite textiles alongside extraordinary portraits in various media.