Final answer:
The statue Our Lady of Chains is named as such to reflect the captivity or constraint of a significant female figure, a common theme in works portraying tragic historical or mythological women.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statue is called Our Lady of Chains likely because it depicts a significant female figure who experienced a form of captivity or constraint, as chains are a universal symbol for bondage and oppression.
This depiction aligns with the common theme among works of some artists who focused on tragic women from history, mythology, or literature. An example provided by LibreTexts™ is Zenobia in Chains, an early and financially successful work by artist Harriet Hosmer, which represents the third-century Queen Zenobia after being captured by the Romans.
Similarly, religious statues and paintings, such as Our Lady of Sorrows and Our Lady of Cocharcas, are often given names that reflect the ordeals or attributes associated with the figure, whether it be physical constraints or emotional sufferings as depicted through symbolic items like chains.
Our Lady of Chains is the name of a sculpture created by Harriet Goodhue Hosmer. The statue depicts Queen Zenobia, who was captured by the Romans and paraded through the streets while wrapped in chains.
The sculpture showcases Hosmer's skill in working with marble and challenged the belief at the time that women were unable to create intricate and detailed artwork.
Critics doubted a woman could have enough power in her arms and hands to carve the marble, but Hosmer proved them wrong with this impressive statue.