History
Its name is allied to the cult of St Mary of Constantinople, the icon image of the virgin attributed originally to St Luke, which rose to prominence in 1527–1528, during one of the frequent attacks of plague afflicting the city. During this time, an elderly woman experienced an apparition of the Virgin who pleaded for the construction of a church where her image stood on a wall. Legend holds the image that was discovered prevented further outbreaks of the plague in Naples.
Construction began in 1575, and continued till completion in the first years of the 17th century under the intervention of the Dominican architect Giuseppe Nuvolo. The façade was completed in 1633. The design is generally conservative with a central linear nave and two aisles, each with five chapels.
The interior was decorated in stucco by Domenico Antonio Vaccaro; the vaulting uses gilded wood. The chapel entries have carved lintelpieces by Niccolò Tagliacozzi Canale (1728).
The first chapel on the right has an altarpiece of the Madonna of the Purity (17th century); the fourth chapel has a painting of the Martyrdom of St. Bartholemew (c. 1585) by the Flemish painter Aert Mytens. The high altar was designed in polychrome marble by Cosimo Fanzago. It frames the 15th-century fresco of Santa Maria di Costantinopoli; above it is a relief of God the father and to the side are statues of saints Rocco and Sebastian.
The apse lunette was decorated by Belisario Corenzio with a fresco of the Virgin & John the Baptist pleading with the Trinity to liberate Naples from the plague. The arches hold images of prophets and sybils.
Belisario Corenzio was a Greek-Italian painter, active in Venice and Naples. He is one of few Greek painters that did not belong to the Cretan Renaissance like his contemporaries of the time. He escaped the maniera greca completely. He adopted the Venetian style. Other similar Greek painters were Marco Basaiti, Ioannis Permeniates, Antonio Vassilacchi and El Greco. He was sometimes referred to as Il Greco. His teacher was prominent Venetian painter Tintoretto. In 1590, at age 32 Corenzio settled in Naples. Corenzio was influenced by Cavalier d'Arpino. He continued to flourish in the region. His apprentices included: Luigi Rodriguez, Andrea di Leone, Onofrio De Lione and Massimo Stanzione. Corenzio painted many frescos that survived today. Some of his works are in the Church of San Severino and Certosa di San Martino. His style resembles Caravaggio. An Italian legend in Naples exists involving Corenzio, Spanish painter Jusepe de Ribera, and Battistello Caracciolo. They were referred to as the Cabal of Naples. The three painters were rumored to have poisoned their competition for painting contracts. The rumors lack documented evidence. The three painters were very popular in Naples. Corenzio frescoed the Crypt that holds the remains of Matthew the Apostle at Salerno Cathedral and it depicts scenes from the Gospel of Matthew. Corenzio was one of the most celebrated fresco painters in Naples during his time. His drawings can be found all over the world namely at the Metropolitan Museum, Museo di Capodimonte and Louvre.
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