“I will safe keep your good heart, Dear One, until you are ready for its return.”
Vader’s Dream – A Visitation from Padme by Kirk Reinert (source)
I love this commentary from the source link:
I [the artist] wanted the general nature of this dream scene to feel very organic and human, as opposed to Vader’s real-life loss of humanity, both physically and spiritually. Vader is dreaming of himself as Anakin, a fallen knight, in the arms of Padme, who has visited this dream with a purpose and a message. There is an island of peace here, but also the feeling of unease and impending doom on the horizon. The dark side, sensing the presence and threat of the light, sends its minions to pull Anakin/Vader back into chaos and madness.
I’ve placed a few subconscious layers in the painting for Anakin/Vader: the mechanical and bio-mechanical umbilical cords attached from under the water; Anakin is wearing what is partially Darth Vader armor & partially Jedi Knight robes; his hands are crossed representing a prisoner, Padme is wearing the headpiece that she wore in the beginning of their relationship but she also has the plants and flowers in her hair from her funeral. Anakin never saw her funeral so he has no reference to dream these specific flowers, therefore, Padme’s presence in this dream is real and not conjured from Anakin/Vader’s subconscious.
…and from the art nerd in me: Padme’s pose was inspired from both a 12th century woodcut of ‘A Troubadour’s Representation of Love’ and George Frederick Watts’ painting, ‘Hope’. Both also share an appropriate sentiment in my painting.”