The Extraordinary True Story of Akiane Kramarik's Masterpiece
Painted by eight-year-old Akiane Kramarik, Prince of Peace has become one of the world’s most recognized portraits of Jesus. But the painting itself is only part of the story.
It is a story of childhood visions, impossible circumstances, a face that could not be forgotten, and a masterpiece that the world nearly lost forever.
Most stories of faith begin in church. Akiane’s began in a home where God was never discussed.
Her mother was an atheist. Her father was agnostic. There were no Bibles on the shelves, no prayers before meals, no religious artwork on the walls. Faith simply wasn’t part of everyday life.
Then, when she was four years old, she quietly told her mother: “Today I met God.”
It wasn’t a passing comment.
Over the weeks that followed, Akiane described places she’d never seen, light she’d never experienced, and a presence she could only describe as warm and good. She spoke of heaven with remarkable detail and certainty, despite growing up in a household where no one had taught her what heaven was.
Those visions soon found another outlet.
She drew constantly. On paper when she could find it. On books, furniture, walls, and even her own arms when she couldn’t. Every drawing was an attempt to capture something she felt she had already seen.
One image kept returning. The same face. She had never seen it anywhere on earth.
For more than a year, Akiane searched for the face she had carried in her mind since childhood.
She looked everywhere. In crowds. On television. In magazines. In photographs.
Thousands of faces passed before her, yet none matched what she remembered from her visions. Eventually, she stopped searching and started praying. She asked God for the right person to appear.
The next day, a carpenter unexpectedly arrived at the family’s home.
The moment Akiane saw him, she turned to her mother and exclaimed, “Tai jis” Lithuanian for “This is he!”
The carpenter agreed to model for the painting but later called to say he couldn’t do it. He felt unworthy of portraying Christ. Then he called again. He believed God wanted him to help.
Within days, the painting that had lived in Akiane’s heart for years finally had a face.
The canvas stood nearly four feet tall. Almost larger than the little girl painting it.
Working from the vision she had carried for years and the carpenter who had unexpectedly appeared at her family’s door, eight-year-old Akiane began painting what would become Prince of Peace.
Over the next forty hours, something extraordinary took shape.
She painted with remarkable confidence and precision, creating a portrait whose technical mastery seemed impossible for someone her age. During those same forty hours, she even lost four baby teeth. At one point, needing to show her mother the exact shade of red she wanted, she used her own blood to demonstrate the color.
Every detail mattered, especially the eyes. Akiane painted them intentionally so they would seem to meet the viewer from every angle, creating the unmistakable feeling that Christ was looking directly at them.
When she finally stepped back, she had created more than an extraordinary work of art.
She had painted an image that would soon captivate millions around the world.
The story of Prince of Peace had only just begun.
Some stories are difficult to fully capture in words.
Watch the remarkable journey of Prince of Peace, from the visions of a young girl to one of the most recognized portraits of Jesus in the world.
When Prince of Peace was finished, it didn’t remain a private family story for long. As word spread, so did interest in the remarkable young artist behind it.
At just nine years old, Akiane appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show, where she spoke openly about the inspiration behind her work.
“It comes from God.”
Soon, her paintings were featured by major news organizations, exhibited around the world, and seen by millions. Collectors, museums, and galleries all took notice of the extraordinary talent behind Prince of Peace.
But just as the painting was becoming known around the world, something unexpected happened. The original disappeared.
The greatest threat to Prince of Peace wasn’t time. It was people.
The original painting first became entangled in legal disputes after an art agent refused to return it. When it was finally recovered, it arrived damaged, covered in sawdust, and scarred from mistreatment.
Believing the worst was behind them, Akiane’s family entrusted the painting to another representative with one clear instruction.
The painting was for exhibition. It was never to be sold. It was sold anyway.
The original Prince of Peace vanished into private ownership, hidden from public view for sixteen years.
While reproductions continued to inspire people around the world, the original masterpiece remained locked away in darkness, unseen by the artist who created it.
For sixteen years, the world knew the image. But almost no one could stand before the original.
While the original Prince of Peace remained hidden, another remarkable story began unfolding hundreds of miles away.
A young boy named Colton Burpo survived a near-death experience and later described seeing Jesus in Heaven. Over time, his father showed him countless artistic depictions of Christ. One after another, Colton shook his head. Then he was shown Akiane’s Prince of Peace.
He pointed to the portrait and said “That’s Him!”
The moment became a memorable part of Heaven Is for Real, introducing millions of readers to the painting and the extraordinary story behind it.
After sixteen years, Akiane was reunited with the original Prince of Peace for the first time since it disappeared.
The painting was later reportedly purchased for $850,000 in 2019 by the family that became its steward, committed to preserving the original for future generations and making it accessible to the public.
In 2023, the original Prince of Peace was placed on permanent public display at Belóved Gallery, with the exhibition opening on Easter weekend. A painting that had spent sixteen years hidden from the world had finally returned to the light.
Prince of Peace is more than Akiane Kramarik’s most recognized painting.
It represents a lifetime dedicated to creating work that inspires hope, peace, and reflection.
Since completing Prince of Peace as a child, Akiane’s paintings have been exhibited internationally, collected around the world, and featured by major media including The Oprah Winfrey Show, CNN, ABC, and the BBC. Her work is celebrated not only for its remarkable technical skill, but for its ability to inspire conversation, contemplation, and faith.
Today, Prince of Peace remains the defining work of her career. A painting born from childhood visions that continues to move people around the world.
Some works of art simply decorate a room.
Others quietly shape the way you experience it.
Whether displayed in a living room, office, prayer space, or church, Prince of Peace becomes more than something to admire. It becomes a daily reminder of peace, hope, and the extraordinary story behind the image.
For many collectors, that’s what makes it so meaningful. Every glance recalls the journey behind the painting, from a young girl’s visions to a masterpiece that nearly disappeared, only to inspire millions once again.
For many, Prince of Peace is more than a beautiful work of art. It is a daily reminder of peace, hope, and one of the most remarkable stories in modern religious art.
Choose the presentation that best fits your home and experience the story of Prince of Peace every day.
A refined, intimate presentation ideal for gifting, prayer spaces, or smaller rooms.
An archival-quality presentation, professionally framed and ready to display.
A commanding collector’s presentation that brings the artwork’s depth and presence fully into the room.
A signed, limited-edition collector’s piece, beautifully framed for a meaningful and enduring display.
A gallery-style canvas that adds warmth, texture, and spiritual presence to your space.
A luminous, freestanding display that brings depth and radiance to a desk, shelf, or bedside table.
