Sentence:  The ninth century was in its artistic work `` the spiritually <WSD>freest</WSD> and most self-sufficient between past and future '' , and the loving skill spent by its artists upon their products is a testimonial to their sense that what they were doing was important and was appreciated . 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  able to act at will; not hampered; not under compulsion or restraint