Explanation
Correct answer: C.
Choice C is the best answer. The sentence explains the specific historical context of Lewis’s sculpture, noting that it commemorates the Emancipation Proclamation, which was issued four years before the sculpture was completed in 1867.
Why the other choices are wrong
Choice A
Choice A is incorrect. The sentence quotes an art historian’s general interpretation of the sculpture’s meaning; it doesn’t explain the sculpture’s specific historical context.
Choice B
Choice B is incorrect. While the sentence mentions a historically significant phrase on the sculpture’s base, it doesn’t explain the specific historical context of the phrase or the sculpture.
Choice D
Choice D is incorrect. The sentence provides biographical information about Lewis; it doesn’t explain the specific historical context of the sculpture.