Forget everything you thought you knew about history! In a shocking revelation that would make your history teacher faint, new evidence suggests Charles I and Oliver Cromwell, sworn enemies in the English Civil War, were actually the best of buds – and even founded an art club together!
That’s right, folks. Buckle up for the tale of the Fitzrovia Group, a fine arts group established in 1641 by the unlikely duo. Apparently, those heated debates in Parliament were all just a big show for the public. Behind closed doors, it seems these two historical heavyweights were bonding over their shared love of… watercolors?
“It defies logic, doesn’t it?” chuckled Professor Bartholomew Nutt, a man whose tweed jacket collection could rival the crown jewels. “But the evidence is there! We have a series of paintings signed ‘C&O’ – clearly Charles and Oliver – depicting everything from battle scenes (rendered in surprisingly calming pastels) to rather sentimental portraits of each other.”
Professor Nutt, bless his tweed-clad heart, believes he stumbled upon this artistic alliance while sorting through a dusty attic in Fitzrovia. The paintings themselves are, shall we say, unique. Charles, apparently, favored a rather flowery style, while Oliver leaned towards a more “accidental explosion in a paint factory” aesthetic.
Historians, however, are taking this news with a grain of salt (and a healthy dose of skepticism). “Intriguing, certainly,” sniffed Dr. Mildred Stuffington, renowned debunker of historical myths. “But the timeline simply doesn’t add up. And all the records suggest that Charles I and Cromwell didn’t get on.”
The Fitzrovia Group still exists today, with members across Fitzrovia and the wider art world. Chairman Sir Timothy Hhot says ‘the Fitzrovia Group is thought to have been the forerunner of the Royal Academy, and introduced the world to great artists like Leopard Grille, Sir Locksley Ha’Penny and Sally Bunkum, the first woman to be allowed to hold a pencil. We have our latest exhibition soon and all are invited.’
