For Danish art lovers seeking handmade paintings from Africa that capture authentic wildlife, stunning landscapes, and vibrant cultural motifs, TingaTinga Art connects you directly with master painters in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Our artworks bring the spirit of East Africa into Danish homes through original, handcrafted paintings created using traditional techniques and premium materials.
What You'll Learn:
Denmark's relationship with Africa spans centuries, and understanding this context enriches the meaning of bringing African art into Danish homes today. Denmark-Norway maintained several trading stations and forts along the Gold Coast in West Africa from the 17th to 19th centuries, particularly in present-day Ghana. This historical connection, while complex and often problematic, established links between Scandinavian and African peoples that continue evolving today.
Denmark has been involved in development cooperation with African countries for more than 50 years and is one of the few countries in the world that meets the UN target of contributing 0.7 percent of GNI to development assistance. This commitment reflects Danish values of global solidarity and equity—principles that align naturally with supporting African artists through fair-trade purchases.
In 2024, Denmark launched a new strategy called "The African Century – Partnerships of Equals," opening new embassies in Senegal, Tunisia, and Rwanda, and strengthening diplomatic presence across the continent. This strategic shift recognizes Africa's growing geopolitical importance and emphasizes mutual respect rather than traditional donor-recipient dynamics.
The Danish government launched a DKK 500 million Africa Facility aimed at strengthening commercial ties between Denmark and African countries, demonstrating Denmark's commitment to economic partnerships that benefit both sides. When you purchase handmade African paintings from our Tanzanian cooperative, you participate in exactly this kind of equitable exchange—Danish consumers gaining access to authentic cultural expression while Tanzanian artists build sustainable livelihoods.
This contemporary context matters because it shapes how we approach cultural exchange today. Rather than extracting African resources or culture, Denmark's current Africa strategy emphasizes listening, partnership, and mutual benefit. Purchasing authentic African art fits this framework perfectly—you're not appropriating culture but engaging with it respectfully, compensating artists fairly, and building connections across continents.
Danish interior design celebrates simplicity, functionality, and natural materials—principles rooted in the hygge philosophy that values warmth and meaningful objects. Yet Danish homes often welcome bold, colorful elements that create personality within minimalist spaces. This is where handmade African paintings excel.
The vibrant colors in Tanzanian wildlife paintings and landscape art provide exactly the striking focal point that Danish interiors need. Against neutral walls and natural wood furnishings typical of Scandinavian homes, a bold elephant painting or colorful village scene creates visual interest without cluttering the space.
Danish design philosophy emphasizes quality over quantity, longevity over trends, and authenticity over mass production. Our paintings embody these values. Each piece is created by a skilled artist who has spent years mastering traditional techniques. These aren't factory reproductions designed for quick turnover—they're artworks meant to be cherished for generations.
The connection between Danish and African design values runs deeper than might be apparent. Both cultures have strong craft traditions where skilled artisans create functional and beautiful objects using locally available materials. Just as Danish furniture makers transform native beech and oak into timeless pieces, Tanzanian painters use locally sourced materials to create vibrant artworks that express their cultural identity.
Tanzania's painting tradition gained international recognition through the Tingatinga style, developed in Dar es Salaam during the 1960s by Edward Saidi Tingatinga. The style is characterized by bright enamel paints on canvas, depicting wildlife, village life, and landscapes with bold outlines and vibrant color combinations.
What began as Tingatinga painting tourist souvenirs has evolved into a sophisticated artistic movement. Our cooperative represents multiple generations of artists—some who studied directly with original Tingatinga artists, others who've developed contemporary interpretations while maintaining core techniques.
Technical Aspects of Tanzanian Painting:
The enamel paints used in these artworks were originally chosen for practical reasons—they were available, affordable, and durable. However, they require considerable skill to manipulate. Unlike acrylics that dry slowly and can be blended on canvas, enamel dries quickly, demanding decisive brushwork. Artists must plan their color layering carefully, often applying lighter colors over darker bases to create luminous effects.
The canvas preparation process itself involves multiple steps. Artists stretch and size the canvas properly, ensuring it won't warp or sag over time. Many artists work on masonite board for smaller pieces, which provides a rigid, stable surface that holds enamel paint beautifully.
Color mixing in Tanzanian painting follows intuitive rather than academic principles. Artists develop their palettes through experimentation and observation, creating color combinations that feel distinctly African—earth tones mixed with vibrant primaries, sunset oranges alongside deep purples, the particular greens of savanna grass under different light conditions.
Wildlife paintings remain the most popular category for Danish customers, reflecting Denmark's own appreciation for nature and environmental stewardship. Denmark's strong environmental consciousness and commitment to conservation create natural affinity with artworks celebrating African wildlife.
Popular Wildlife Subjects:
Elephant Paintings: Often depicted in family groups, elephants symbolize strength, memory, and community—values that resonate across cultures. These paintings work particularly well in rooms with generous wall space. The elephants' scale allows for impressive larger canvases that command attention without overwhelming spaces.
Tanzanian artists capture elephants with particular understanding because many have observed these animals in their natural habitats. The way an elephant's trunk curves, how their ears fan to dissipate heat, the texture of their skin—these details come from direct observation rather than photographic reference.
Lion Artwork: Lions represent both power and dignity in African artistic tradition. Our artists portray lions in various contexts—solitary males surveying territory, family groups resting in shade, dramatic hunting scenes. The warm tones in many lion paintings—ochres, burnt siennas, golden yellows—complement the natural wood prevalent in Danish furniture particularly well.
Giraffe Compositions: Their elegant forms work beautifully in rooms with high ceilings, particularly in renovated Danish industrial spaces or modern apartments with generous vertical dimensions. The vertical orientation of giraffe paintings suits Danish modern architecture with its clean lines and tall windows.
Bird Paintings: From flamingos to African fish eagles, bird paintings add movement and grace. These pieces often feature the vivid blues and warm oranges that create compelling color contrasts. Many Danish customers appreciate bird paintings for home offices or reading nooks, where the sense of movement and flight creates inspiration.
Selecting Colors for Danish Interiors:
When selecting wildlife art for Danish interiors, consider the color palette carefully. While traditional Tingatinga paintings use very bright colors, many of our artists also create pieces with more subdued, natural tones that complement Scandinavian color schemes.
A wildlife painting in earth tones—ochres, burnt siennas, forest greens, slate blues—can bridge African vibrancy with Danish restraint. This doesn't mean compromising the painting's character; rather, it means choosing pieces where the artist has emphasized natural environmental colors rather than the most vibrant possible palette.
Size matters significantly in Danish homes, which often feature clean lines and uncluttered walls. A single large-scale painting (100cm x 80cm or larger) typically works better than multiple small pieces in achieving that balanced, minimalist look Danes favor. The painting becomes a statement piece rather than competing with other decorative elements.
Tanzanian landscape paintings transport viewers to savannas, coastal regions, and mountain highlands. These works often feature the iconic baobab trees, acacia-dotted plains, and dramatic sunsets that define East African scenery.
Tanzania's landscapes are remarkably diverse. The country encompasses the highest point in Africa (Mount Kilimanjaro), the lowest point (the floor of Lake Tanganyika), vast savanna ecosystems in the Serengeti, tropical beaches in Zanzibar, and volcanic highlands in the Great Rift Valley. This geographical diversity gives our artists endless inspiration.
Why Landscape Paintings Resonate with Danish Buyers:
Landscape paintings work particularly well in Danish living rooms and bedrooms, creating a window to distant places. The horizontal orientation of many landscape paintings complements the low-profile furniture common in Scandinavian design. A sweeping savanna scene above a Danish modern sofa creates visual harmony while adding warmth.
Our artists understand light—how it changes throughout the day on the African landscape, how it filters through baobab branches, how it reflects off water surfaces. This attention to light quality resonates with Danes, who are deeply attuned to natural light given Denmark's northern latitude and seasonal variations.
Danish winters bring long periods of limited daylight, making the psychological impact of artwork significant. African sunset paintings hold particular appeal for Danish buyers during these months. The warm oranges, deep purples, and fiery reds create psychological warmth. A sunset painting can transform a room's atmosphere, bringing a sense of distant warmth into Nordic spaces.
Many Danish customers report that their African landscape paintings become more meaningful during winter months, serving as visual reminders of warmth, light, and expansive horizons when Denmark's weather turns gray and cold.
Paintings depicting Tanzanian village life, Masai warriors, and traditional ceremonies offer narrative depth beyond pure aesthetics. These pieces tell stories—of daily routines, celebrations, and cultural practices that have endured for generations.
Danish buyers often appreciate these cultural paintings for their anthropological interest. Denmark's own strong traditions and cultural identity—from Christmas customs to midsummer celebrations—create empathy for other cultures' heritage. A painting showing women carrying water vessels or a village marketplace scene sparks meaningful conversations about our shared humanity across different continents.
Understanding the Cultural Context:
Tanzania encompasses over 120 ethnic groups, each with distinctive cultural practices, clothing, and traditions. Masai culture, with its vibrant red shukas and elaborate beadwork, features prominently in many paintings because of the Masai's visual distinctiveness and proximity to Tanzania's tourist areas. However, our artists also depict other ethnic groups and contemporary Tanzanian life.
The bold patterns and colors in paintings featuring traditional dress complement contemporary Danish fashion's embrace of global influences. These pieces work beautifully in modern Danish homes that mix Scandinavian simplicity with international eclecticism—an increasingly common approach as Denmark becomes more multicultural.
Village life paintings often depict activities that urban Danes no longer experience—gathering water from communal sources, agricultural work done by hand, multi-generational households sharing living spaces. For many Danish viewers, these scenes create connection to agrarian pasts that Denmark itself has largely left behind through industrialization.
One of our most appreciated offerings for Danish customers is our custom photo-to-painting service. This allows you to commission an original handmade painting based on your own photographs—whether that's a family portrait, a cherished landscape from your travels, or a beloved pet.
The Commission Process:
Photo Submission: You submit a high-quality photograph through our website. Resolution matters—the more detail in your photo, the more accurately our artist can interpret it.
Consultation: We discuss your vision in detail. What size suits your space? Do you want realistic interpretation or more stylized Tingatinga approach? Should we emphasize certain colors? What emotional tone should the painting convey?
Artist Creation: A master artist begins your custom painting. This typically takes 2-3 weeks depending on size and complexity. The artist interprets your photo rather than simply copying it—adding artistic interpretation while maintaining recognizable elements.
Progress Images: We send you images showing the painting's development. This allows you to request adjustments before the final varnish is applied.
Completion and Shipping: Your finished painting ships directly to your Danish address with full tracking.
Popular Photo-to-Painting Requests from Danish Customers:
Many Danes who've traveled to Africa commission paintings based on their safari photos. That image you captured of elephants at a waterhole or a Serengeti sunset can become a vibrant painting that captures not just the visual details but the emotional essence of your experience.
Family portraits transformed into African painting style have become increasingly popular. The bold colors and distinctive style create unique artworks that feel celebratory and joyful—different from standard family photography but equally meaningful.
Pet portraits work beautifully in this style. Danish customers have commissioned paintings of their dogs, cats, and horses interpreted through Tanzanian artistic traditions. The results are vibrant, characterful pieces that celebrate beloved animals with personality and warmth.
Memorial pieces represent another meaningful use of this service. Photographs of deceased relatives or pets can be transformed into lasting artworks that honor memory while celebrating life through color and artistic expression.
Unlike digital prints or standard photography, a handmade painting adds texture, dimensionality, and artistic interpretation. The brushstrokes are visible, the colors are luminous, and the result is a genuine artwork rather than a reproduction.
Danish consumers value quality and longevity—concepts central to sustainable consumption. Denmark's strong environmental consciousness emphasizes buying fewer, better things that last. Our paintings embody this philosophy completely.
Materials and Their Properties:
Premium Enamel Paints: Originally developed for industrial applications, enamel paints resist fading remarkably well. While UV exposure will eventually affect any artwork, enamel maintains its intensity far longer than many alternatives. The paints create a luminous quality—colors appear to glow from within rather than sitting flat on the surface.
Quality Canvas and Preparation: Canvas quality varies dramatically. We use properly prepared canvas that won't warp or sag over time. The canvas receives sizing treatment before painting begins, creating a stable surface that holds paint well and resists environmental changes.
Protective Varnish: Many paintings receive a final varnish layer. This serves multiple purposes—it protects against dust and minor moisture, it unifies the painting's surface appearance, and it makes cleaning easier. A properly varnished painting can be gently dusted without risk of disturbing the paint layer.
Longevity in Practice:
For Danish homes, this durability matters significantly. You're not purchasing art that will deteriorate or require frequent replacement. With basic care—keeping the painting out of direct sunlight and away from extreme humidity—your African painting will remain as vibrant decades from now as the day it arrives.
This longevity aligns perfectly with Danish sustainability values. Rather than purchasing mass-produced décor that follows trends and requires replacement every few years, you're acquiring an artwork that can be passed down through generations. It becomes a family piece with history and meaning rather than disposable decoration.
The relationship between Denmark and Tanzania today reflects broader shifts in how Northern European countries engage with African nations. Rather than traditional development models that positioned Europe as giver and Africa as recipient, contemporary frameworks emphasize partnership and mutual learning.
Denmark's new Africa strategy emphasizes equal partnerships with African countries, recognizing that Africa's geopolitical relevance and importance in international politics has never been greater. Population growth, economic development, and increasing assertiveness mean African nations increasingly set their own agendas rather than following externally imposed frameworks.
For cultural exchange through art, this shift means recognizing Tanzanian painters as professional artists whose work has inherent value—not as recipients of charity or development assistance. When you purchase paintings from our cooperative, you're engaging in genuine cultural and economic exchange, not performing benevolence.
Denmark announced a 40 percent increase in its contribution to the African Development Fund, reaffirming commitment to Africa and to strong multilateral cooperation. This financial commitment to African development parallels individual choices Danish consumers make when purchasing African art. Both reflect values of global solidarity and recognition that Denmark's prosperity connects to broader global systems.
Educational and Cultural Benefits:
Displaying African art in Danish homes creates educational opportunities, particularly for children growing up in Denmark. These paintings spark conversations about different cultures, wildlife conservation, artistic traditions, and global interconnection. Children who grow up seeing African art normalized in their homes develop broader worldviews and greater cultural literacy.
For Denmark's growing immigrant communities, including Africans living in Denmark, seeing African art valued and displayed can create feelings of recognition and belonging. It sends a message that African culture has value beyond tokenism or exoticism—it's art worth collecting and displaying prominently.
We understand that ordering handmade paintings from East Africa might feel unfamiliar if you're accustomed to shopping within the EU. Here's what makes the process straightforward.
Shipping to Denmark:
We ship to Denmark using trusted international carriers including DHL and Aramex. These services provide full tracking from our studio in Dar es Salaam to your Danish address. We've maintained a 100% delivery success rate to date, with no packages lost in transit.
Each painting is carefully packaged with protective materials to prevent damage during international shipping. Larger paintings may be shipped rolled in tubes, which also reduces shipping costs and carbon footprint. We can arrange flat shipping for an additional fee if you prefer, though rolled shipping is safe for canvas paintings and allows them to be professionally stretched and framed upon arrival if desired.
Understanding International Shipping from Africa:
Shipping from Tanzania to Denmark typically takes 1-3 weeks depending on customs processing. During peak holiday periods, shipments may take slightly longer. We provide tracking information as soon as your painting ships, allowing you to monitor its progress.
Our experience shipping to Scandinavian countries has been consistently positive. Danish customs processes are efficient, and we've encountered minimal delays or complications.
Pricing and the "Make an Offer" Feature:
We believe authentic African art should be accessible, which is why we offer a "Make an Offer" feature on our paintings. Browse our collection, and if you find a piece you love but the price stretches your budget, submit a reasonable offer.
This approach reflects both Tanzanian hospitality and our commitment to connecting art with people who will truly appreciate it. We'd rather negotiate a fair price than have a painting go unpurchased. Many offers are accepted, particularly when buyers demonstrate genuine appreciation for the artwork.
Payment Security:
All transactions on our website are fully encrypted and secure. We accept major credit cards and other standard payment methods common in Denmark. Your payment information is protected using industry-standard security protocols.
If you're wondering how vibrant African paintings fit within Danish design principles, consider these practical approaches that honor both traditions:
The Statement Piece Approach: Let one large African painting serve as the room's focal point. Keep surrounding décor minimal—white or light gray walls, natural wood furniture, simple textiles in neutral tones. The painting provides all the color and personality while the rest of the space remains calm and uncluttered. This approach respects Danish minimalism while celebrating African artistic vibrancy.
Color Echo Technique: Choose a painting whose colors appear elsewhere in your room in small doses. If your African painting features deep blues and warm oranges, echo those colors in throw pillows, a small rug, ceramic pieces, or textile accents. This creates cohesion without overwhelming the space. The painting feels integrated rather than jarring.
Natural Materials Connection: African paintings often depict natural scenes and wildlife. Connect this theme by incorporating natural materials throughout your space—wooden furniture (especially lighter woods like ash or beech common in Danish design), woven baskets, linen textiles, wool rugs, indoor plants. The painting becomes part of a broader celebration of the natural world rather than standing alone.
Contrast and Complement: Use the African painting as intentional contrast against very neutral surroundings. This is essentially the Scandinavian approach to incorporating color—keep most surfaces neutral and introduce color strategically through art, textiles, or single furniture pieces. An African wildlife painting becomes more striking against white walls and blonde wood than it would in a busier environment.
Seasonal Rotation: Some Danish collectors purchase multiple paintings and rotate them seasonally. Brighter, warmer African sunset paintings might come out during Denmark's long winters, bringing psychological warmth, while cooler coastal scenes or green landscape paintings might suit summer months. This approach allows you to build a collection over time while keeping your space fresh.
Denmark's climate differs significantly from Tanzania's tropical environment, but our paintings adapt well to Nordic conditions with basic care.
Light Exposure: Avoid hanging your painting in direct sunlight, particularly south-facing windows where UV exposure is strongest. This is standard advice for any artwork but particularly important for maintaining the vibrant colors that characterize African paintings. Indirect natural light is ideal—it allows you to appreciate the painting's colors without risking UV damage.
Humidity Considerations: Danish homes typically have moderate humidity levels, which is ideal for canvas paintings. During very dry winter months when indoor heating runs constantly, you might notice your wooden furniture drying out—the same applies to painting canvases. A small humidifier helps maintain stable conditions, benefiting both your paintings and your wooden furniture.
Conversely, in very humid conditions (less common in Denmark but possible in coastal areas or poorly ventilated bathrooms), ensure air circulation around your painting. Don't hang paintings in bathrooms or kitchens where steam and moisture levels fluctuate significantly.
Dust Maintenance: Dust your painting occasionally with a soft, dry microfiber cloth. The varnish layer on many of our paintings makes them relatively easy to maintain—dust doesn't embed in the paint surface. Use gentle motions and avoid applying pressure.
For paintings without varnish (which we can specify before purchase), use even gentler cleaning methods. A very soft brush (like a clean makeup brush) can remove dust without touching the paint surface directly.
Temperature Stability: Avoid hanging paintings near radiators, heat vents, or other heat sources. Significant temperature fluctuations can cause canvas expansion and contraction that eventually leads to cracking or paint separation. Stable temperatures are ideal—exactly the conditions Danish homes typically maintain for human comfort.
Framing Considerations: If you choose to frame your painting, ensure the framer understands proper techniques for canvas artworks. The frame should not put pressure on the canvas itself. Proper framing can provide additional protection while enhancing the painting's presentation.
Since 1968, we've specialized in creating authentic Tanzanian paintings in our Dar es Salaam studio. What began as artwork created for tourists has evolved into a trusted source for collectors and home décor enthusiasts across six continents.
What Sets Us Apart:
Direct Artist Relationships: We work directly with the painters in our cooperative, ensuring fair compensation and quality control. There are no intermediaries extracting value—your payment goes directly to supporting the artists who create your chosen piece.
Extensive Collection: Browse over 500 original paintings spanning wildlife, landscapes, abstract pieces, and cultural scenes. Our collection represents the work of multiple master artists, each with their distinctive style. This variety means you can find exactly what resonates with your aesthetic preferences.
Custom Capabilities: Our photo-to-painting service and custom commission options mean you're never limited to existing inventory. If you have a specific vision—particular animals, specific landscape features, custom sizes, or color palette preferences—we can create it.
Proven Reliability: We've built trust with international customers through consistent quality and successful deliveries. Our 100% delivery success rate to date demonstrates our commitment to getting your artwork to you safely. We take packaging seriously and work with carriers we trust.
Cultural Authenticity: These aren't interpretations of African art created elsewhere—they're made by Tanzanian artists in Tanzania using traditional and contemporary techniques. You're getting authentic cultural expression, not appropriation or imitation.
Transparency: We're honest about our practices, our artists, and our processes. If you have questions about how a painting was created, who created it, or what materials were used, we provide straightforward answers. This transparency reflects Danish values and builds trust across the distance between our countries.
If you're ready to bring authentic African art into your Danish home, start by exploring our collection at tingatingaart.com. Our website allows you to browse by category, size, and color palette, making it easy to find exactly what you're looking for.
Explore by Category:
Questions to Consider While Browsing:
Making Your Purchase with Confidence:
When you've found the perfect piece, purchasing is straightforward. Our secure checkout process accepts major credit cards, and we provide tracking information as soon as your painting ships.
If budget is a concern, remember our "Make an Offer" feature. We consider all reasonable offers and respond promptly. We want these paintings to find homes where they'll be appreciated, and we're willing to work with customers to make that happen.
For questions about specific paintings, sizing, framing options, or our photo-to-painting service, our team is available to help. We've assisted customers in over 40 countries and understand the unique considerations of international buyers. We're familiar with shipping to Denmark specifically and can answer questions about typical transit times and customs processes.
You're not just purchasing décor when you choose handmade African paintings from TingaTinga Art. You're acquiring an original handmade painting created by a skilled Tanzanian artist—a piece with cultural significance, artistic merit, and a story behind it.
It's artwork that reflects both African heritage and your own appreciation for authentic, meaningful home furnishings. Whether you choose a majestic elephant painting for your living room, a serene Tanzanian landscape for your bedroom, or commission a custom piece through our photo-to-painting service, you're making a choice that brings color, culture, and craftsmanship into your Danish home.
This choice also connects to larger values—supporting fair trade, engaging respectfully with other cultures, choosing quality and durability over disposable consumption, and participating in the kind of equitable international exchange that Denmark's own Africa strategy now emphasizes.
Browse our full collection of handmade African paintings and discover the perfect piece for your space. With worldwide shipping, secure transactions, and our 100% delivery success rate to date, bringing authentic Tanzanian art to Denmark has never been more straightforward.
Transform your walls. Support Tanzanian artists. Participate in meaningful cultural exchange. Experience the vibrancy of African art in your Danish home.
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Centimeters (CM) |
Inches (IN) |
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50CM x 40CM |
19 11/16 in XÂ 15 3/4 in |
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50CM x 50CM |
19 11/16 in XÂ 19 11/16 in |
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60CM x 60CM |
23 5/8 in XÂ 23 5/8 in |
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70CM x 50CM |
27 9/16 in XÂ 19 11/16 in |
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80CM x 60CM |
31 1/2 in XÂ 23 5/8 in |
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100CM x 80CM |
39 3/8 in XÂ 31 1/2 in |
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140CM x 110CM |
55 1/8 in X 43 5/16 in |
