Tile over the brick. You can make a show piece out of the fireplace.

https://www.hunker.com/13402684/how-to-tile-over-a-brick-fireplace

https://www.etsy.com/listing/254321358/art-nouveau-decorative-ceramic-tile-425?gpla=1&gao=1&&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=shopping_us_d-art_and_collectibles-sculpture-other&utm_custom1=kenshoo_clickid&utm_content=go_1843970593_72372924600_346397747437_aud-318110574626:pla-354542145511_c__254321358&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIv4q4mNHq5QIVwZ-zCh09KgThEAQYECABEgKDZfD_BwE

People, please please quit painting brick and stone. It looks awful. That being said removing paint from brick is very messy and time consuming and you will never truly get it all off.

This is the man cave fire place in my home. Some previous moron painted it beige. Luckily they didn't get to painting the warm brown brick fireplace in the living room. Though not perfect because I am no artist, but I tried to faux paint it to look more like brick. It works for me since it is a cellar fireplace. I've seen DIY videos on how to paint brick to look like brick and there is kits you can also use. Or maybe you could hire an artist to faux paint the brick.

Just depends on the style of the fireplace.

hire a faux painter to make it look like brick again, or vintage tile would look nice.

You could clean it as much as possible and then if it doesn't suit you, put a tinted limewash over it or a primer followed by a masonry texture. (Romabio does both https://romabio.com/ In either case you should end up with a softer, less plastic look. Adding tile always helps. How prominent is the fireplace? Do you have any pics?

The good news is that most houses from that period have a personality to be re-discovered/ re-imagined....and if you listen they will tell you all about it ;-)

Could you post a picture of the FP