René Lalique was Art Nouveau's most important jeweller. He developed a new stylistic language based on sinuous interpretations of natural forms, and championed non-precious materials such as enamel, glass and horn. The resulting pieces were both dramatic and ethereal, and had a profound influence on other jewellers who went on to work in the Art Nouveau style.

Lalique underwent a conventional apprenticeship and later attended art school in England before working as a designer for well-known Parisian jewellery firms. During the 1890s he undertook an exhaustive programme of technical research into glass and enamel which led to his distinctive jewellery style.

Glass was a continuing passion, and in 1910 he bought a glassworks, abandoning work with precious metals almost entirely. This brooch is an example of his experimentation with the medium. Its grasshopper motif also highlights his enduring fascination with insects.