Abstract

The American art and literature magazine ≪Broom≫ (November 1921 - January 1924), starting its publications in Rome to be subsequently moved to Berlin and finally New York, is a good example of the cultural dialogue between Europe and the USA in 1920s. The article reconstructs the history of ≪Broom≫ on the basis of new and unpublished sources, focusing on the eclectic nature of its illustrations and contents and emphasizing the references to avant-garde movements (Cubism, Constructivism, Dada, etc.) in the magazine's cultural context. The debate on the role of culture in the USA was one of the issues at the core of ≪Broom≫ and typifies the contrast between the nation's longing for cultural independence and its deep ties to Europe. Although the magazine also included articles on antiquities, such as the newly discovered Etruscan Apollo of Veii, its focuson the importance of technology in the modern world shows close affinity with modernist European publications such as ≪Vesč'/Object/Gegestand≫ and ≪L'Esprit Nouveau≫.