Giuseppe Cassioli

In 1900 he created the monument to composer Gioachino Rossini in the Basilica of Santa Croce,[3] which was followed by sculpted decorations for the stock exchange in Odessa, and statues and carvings for Arezzo Cathedral.

Cassioli sculpted the right-hand bronze door for Florence Cathedral[3] which brought about years of criticism and harassment to the point where he created a self-portrait depicting himself being suffocated by a snake.

[3][4][5] The obverse incorporated Nike, the Greek goddess of victory, holding a winner's crown and palm with a depiction of the Colosseum in the background.

[4][6] Cassioli's design continued to inspire the obverse of the medal for many more years, though recreated each time, with the Olympic host and numeral updated.

The trend ended in 2004 due to the negative publicity in reaction to the design of medal for the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney.