avant-garde / vanguard
Loading your saved state.
avant-garde
A group of artists, writers, or thinkers who introduce new and experimental ideas and methods and are ahead of their time.
Die Werke der russischen Avantgarde zu Beginn des 20. Jahrhunderts revolutionierten die Malerei.
The works of the Russian avant-garde at the beginning of the 20th century revolutionized painting.
'Avantgarde' (avant-garde/vanguard) is a loanword from French and literally means 'advance guard'. This original military meaning also explains its figurative use for artists who are ahead of their time.
Der Begriff „Avantgarde“ wird sowohl im Militär als auch in der Kunst verwendet.
The term 'Avantgarde' (avant-garde/vanguard) is used both in the military and in art.
You can recognize the meaning from context. If it is about art, literature, or new ideas, it refers to the group of forward thinkers. In texts about the military or strategy, it means the advance guard of an army.
Diese Künstlerin gehörte zur Avantgarde der modernen Malerei.
This artist belonged to the avant-garde of modern painting.
In an artistic context, the word is often used with verbs such as 'gehören zu' (to belong to) or 'zählen zu' (to be counted among). Combinations such as 'künstlerische Avantgarde' (artistic avant-garde) or 'literarische Avantgarde' (literary avant-garde) are also common.
Er zählte zur literarischen Avantgarde seiner Zeit.
He was counted among the literary avant-garde of his time.
Especially in the meaning related to art and culture, 'Avantgarde' (avant-garde) belongs to a more educated or intellectual style of language. It often sounds more sophisticated than 'Vordenker' (forward thinkers) or 'Pioniere' (pioneers).
Die Ausstellung widmet sich der europäischen Avantgarde nach 1945.
The exhibition is devoted to the European avant-garde after 1945.
elite
'die Elite' and 'die Avantgarde' both refer to special groups, but for different reasons. 'die Elite' stands for the best, most powerful, or most influential people in a field. 'die Avantgarde' stands for people who try out new ideas and are ahead of their time, especially in art, literature, or thought. It can also refer to a group that goes ahead of a movement. Learners may confuse the words because both sound like a special leading group. The difference is: the elite is at the top, while the avant-garde goes ahead.
In den zwanziger Jahren suchte die Avantgarde nach ganz neuen Formen der Kunst.
In the twenties, the avant-garde searched for completely new forms of art.
Nach dem Studium möchte er zur Elite der jungen Ärztinnen und Ärzte gehören.
After his studies, he wants to belong to the elite of young doctors.