モナ・リザの謎：レベル別英語レッスン
はじめに
モナ・リザは、世界で最も有名な絵画の一つです。毎年、何百万人もの来館者がパリのルーヴル美術館を訪れ、この作品を見ようとします。しかし、この絵が世界的に有名になったのは、レオナルド・ダ・ヴィンチの芸術的な技術だけが理由ではありません。歴史、物語性、そして犯罪さえも、その知名度の上昇に関わっていました。
1911年、ある男がルーヴル美術館に入り、壁からモナ・リザを外し、コートの下に隠したまま平然と美術館を出ていきました。この盗難は世界に衝撃を与え、この絵を世界的なセンセーションへと押し上げました。
このレッスンでは、段階別の英語レベルを通してモナ・リザの物語を学び、学習者が少しずつ読解力を伸ばせるようにしています。私たちのすべてのクラスでは、生徒のニーズとレベルに最も合うように教材を調整しています。
A1（初級） – とても簡単な文と基礎的な語彙を使ったレベルです。このレベルでは、重要な事実を理解し、過去形の基本動詞や基本的な文の形に自信をつけることに重点を置きます。おおよそ英検5級〜4級、TOEIC 120〜225程度に相当します。
A2（初級〜初中級） – 少し長めの文章になり、物語の流れがよりはっきりし、簡単な説明も入ります。生徒は原因と結果、そして少し長い文を練習します。おおよそ英検4級〜3級、TOEIC 225〜400程度に相当します。
B1（中級） – より詳しい説明や歴史的な情報が入ります。語彙や内容は少し複雑になりますが、文章の構成は引き続き明確です。おおよそ英検準2級〜2級、TOEIC 400〜700程度に相当します。
動画（中上級・上級） – 動画では、本物の説明的な英語が使われており、学術的な語彙や文化的なコメントも含まれます。これはB2〜C1に近く、おおよそ英検2級〜準1級、TOEIC 700〜900+程度です。
A1（初級）：やさしい物語
Leonardo da Vinci painted the Mona Lisa about 500 years ago in Italy.
The painting shows a woman named Lisa. She is sitting and smiling.
Many people think her smile looks mysterious.
Today the painting is in the Louvre Museum in Paris. Millions of visitors go to the museum every year to see it.
In 1911 something surprising happened.
A man stole the painting from the museum. His name was Vincenzo Peruggia. He worked with glass and had done work at the Louvre before.
Early one morning he took the painting off the wall and carried it out of the building.
He hid the painting in his apartment for two years.
Later he tried to sell the painting in Italy. The police arrested him and the painting was returned to the museum.
Today the Mona Lisa is one of the most famous paintings in the world.
A1：英文づくりの練習
ことばを使って、簡単な文を作りましょう。
- 1. Leonardo / painted / the Mona Lisa.（レオナルド／描いた／モナ・リザ）
- 2. The Mona Lisa / is / in Paris.（モナ・リザ／ある／パリに）
- 3. A man / stole / the painting.（ある男／盗んだ／その絵を）
- 4. The thief / hid / the painting.（その泥棒／隠した／その絵を）
- 5. Police / found / the painting.（警察／見つけた／その絵を）
自分でも文を作ってみましょう。
- The Mona Lisa is ______.（モナ・リザは ______ です。）
- The painting is in ______.（その絵は ______ にあります。）
- Many people visit ______.（たくさんの人が ______ を訪れます。）
A1：文法のポイント
1. Simple Past（過去の行動）
過去に起こったことを話すときは、simple past（過去形）を使います。
物語の中の例：
- Leonardo painted the Mona Lisa.（レオナルドはモナ・リザを描きました。）
- A man stole the painting.（ある男がその絵を盗みました。）
- The thief hid the painting.（泥棒はその絵を隠しました。）
形：
Subject + past verb（主語 + 過去形の動詞）
例：
Leonardo painted the portrait.（レオナルドはその肖像画を描きました。）
練習：
- The thief ______ the painting.（泥棒はその絵を ______。）
- Police ______ the painting.（警察はその絵を ______。）
2. “Is / Is in” for location（場所を言う）
何かがどこにあるかを言うときは、is や is in を使います。
例：
- The Mona Lisa is in Paris.（モナ・リザはパリにあります。）
- The painting is in the Louvre Museum.（その絵はルーヴル美術館にあります。）
形：
Subject + is + place（主語 + is + 場所）
例：
The painting is in the museum.（その絵は美術館にあります。）
練習：
- The Mona Lisa is in ______.（モナ・リザは ______ にあります。）
- The museum is in ______.（その美術館は ______ にあります。）
A1：単語リスト
| Word | Simple English Meaning | Japanese Meaning | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| artist | a person who makes art | 芸術家 | Leonardo da Vinci was a famous artist. |
| famous | known by many people | 有名な | The Mona Lisa is a famous painting. |
| hide | to keep something secret | 隠す | The thief hid the painting. |
| museum | a place where people see art and history | 博物館 | The painting is in a museum. |
| painting | a picture made with paint | 絵画 | The Mona Lisa is a painting. |
| police | people who catch criminals | 警察 | The police found the stolen painting. |
| portrait | a painting of a person | 肖像画 | The Mona Lisa is a portrait. |
| return | to bring something back | 返す | The museum returned the painting to the wall. |
| steal | to take something that is not yours | 盗む | A man stole the painting. |
| visit | to go somewhere for a short time | 訪れる | Many tourists visit the Louvre. |
A2（初級〜初中級）：盗難事件
Leonardo da Vinci began painting the Mona Lisa in 1503 in Florence, Italy. The woman in the portrait is believed to be Lisa Gherardini, the wife of a merchant.
Leonardo worked on the painting for many years and kept it with him instead of delivering it to the customer. When he later moved to France, he took the painting with him.
After Leonardo died in 1519, the Mona Lisa became part of the French royal collection. Many years later it was placed on display in the Louvre Museum in Paris where visitors could see it.
In 1911 an Italian man named Vincenzo Peruggia stole the painting. Peruggia was not just a random visitor. His real job was a glazier, a worker who installs glass. He had previously worked at the Louvre helping install protective glass cases for paintings.
Because he knew the museum well, he understood how the building worked and where the exits were.
Early one morning he removed the Mona Lisa from the wall, hid it under his coat, and walked down the stairs of the museum.
At one point he could not open a door, but another worker helped him open it without realizing what had happened. Peruggia then walked out of the Louvre with the painting.
He hid the Mona Lisa inside a suitcase in his apartment for two years.
Peruggia believed the painting belonged in Italy because Leonardo was Italian. He thought he was helping return an Italian masterpiece to its home country.
In 1913 he travelled to Florence and tried to sell the painting to an art dealer. The dealer quickly contacted the police.
Peruggia was arrested and the Mona Lisa was returned to the Louvre Museum. News of the theft spread around the world and suddenly millions of people became interested in the painting.
Ironically, the crime helped make the Mona Lisa the most famous painting in history.
A2：英文づくりの練習
物語の情報を使って、文を完成させましょう。
- 1. Leonardo da Vinci began painting the Mona Lisa in ______.（レオナルド・ダ・ヴィンチは ______ にモナ・リザを描き始めました。）
- 2. The woman in the painting is believed to be ______.（その絵の女性は ______ だと考えられています。）
- 3. Vincenzo Peruggia worked as a ______ who installed glass.（ヴィンチェンツォ・ペルージャはガラスを取り付ける ______ として働いていました。）
- 4. He hid the painting for ______ years.（彼はその絵を ______ 年間隠しました。）
- 5. Peruggia tried to sell the painting in ______.（ペルージャは ______ でその絵を売ろうとしました。）
自分でも文を作ってみましょう。
- The Mona Lisa became famous because ______.（モナ・リザが有名になったのは ______ だからです。）
- The thief believed the painting belonged in ______.（泥棒は、その絵は ______ のものだと考えていました。）
- Many visitors come to the Louvre to ______.（多くの来館者は ______ ためにルーヴルへ来ます。）
A2：文法のポイント
1. Past Simple（規則動詞・不規則動詞の過去形）
過去に終わった行動を説明するときは、past simple（過去形）を使います。
物語の中の例：
- Leonardo began the painting in 1503.（レオナルドは1503年にその絵を描き始めました。）
- Peruggia stole the painting.（ペルージャはその絵を盗みました。）
- Police arrested the thief.（警察はその泥棒を逮捕しました。）
形：
Subject + past verb（主語 + 過去形の動詞）
例：
Leonardo began the portrait.（レオナルドはその肖像画を描き始めました。）
The thief hid the painting.（泥棒はその絵を隠しました。）
練習：
- Peruggia ______ the painting.（ペルージャはその絵を ______。）
- Police ______ the thief.（警察はその泥棒を ______。）
2. Because（理由を言う）
なぜ何かが起こったのかを説明するときは、because を使います。
例：
- The Mona Lisa became famous because it was stolen.（モナ・リザは盗まれたので有名になりました。）
- Peruggia stole the painting because he believed it belonged in Italy.（ペルージャは、その絵がイタリアのものだと信じていたので盗みました。）
形：
Main sentence + because + reason（主文 + because + 理由）
例：
Many people visited the museum because the painting was famous.（その絵が有名だったので、多くの人が美術館を訪れました。）
練習：
- People visited the Louvre because ______.（人々がルーヴルを訪れたのは ______ だからです。）
- The thief believed he was right because ______.（その泥棒が自分は正しいと思ったのは ______ だからです。）
A2：単語リスト
| Word | Simple English Meaning | Japanese Meaning | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| arrest | when police take someone who broke the law | 逮捕する | Police arrested the thief. |
| collection | a group of valuable objects | コレクション / 収集品 | The museum has a large art collection. |
| crowd | a large group of people | 群衆 | A crowd gathered in front of the museum. |
| dealer | a person who buys and sells things | 美術商 | The thief tried to sell the painting to a dealer. |
| display | to show something to the public | 展示する | The painting is displayed in the Louvre. |
| hide | to keep something secret | 隠す | The thief hid the painting in a suitcase. |
| portrait | a painting of a person | 肖像画 | The Mona Lisa is a famous portrait. |
| royal | related to a king or queen | 王室の | The painting was part of the royal collection. |
| steal | to take something illegally | 盗む | Someone stole the Mona Lisa. |
| worker | a person who works at a place | 作業員 | The worker knew the museum well. |
B1（中級）：モナ・リザが有名になった理由
Leonardo da Vinci began painting the Mona Lisa around 1503 in Florence. The subject of the portrait is believed to be Lisa Gherardini, the wife of a Florentine merchant.
Leonardo continued working on the painting for many years and may never have considered it completely finished. Unlike most commissioned portraits, he did not give the painting to the original client and instead kept it with him.
When Leonardo later moved to France to work for King François I, he brought the painting with him. After his death in 1519 the Mona Lisa entered the French royal collection.
Over time the painting became one of the treasures of the French court. Eventually it was placed in the Louvre Museum where the public could see artworks that had previously belonged to royalty.
Although scholars admired Leonardo’s techniques, the painting was not yet the most famous painting in the world. It was respected as an excellent Renaissance portrait but it was still one masterpiece among many.
Leonardo had developed several techniques that made the painting unusual. One of these was sfumato, a method of blending colors softly so that there are no harsh lines. This technique helped create the mysterious expression on Mona Lisa’s face.
Another technique was atmospheric perspective, which made distant parts of the landscape look hazy and realistic.
The story of the Mona Lisa changed dramatically in 1911.
An Italian glazier named Vincenzo Peruggia stole the painting from the Louvre. A glazier is a worker who installs glass, and Peruggia had previously helped install protective glass cases for artworks in the museum.
Because of this job he knew the layout of the building and understood how the museum operated.
On the morning of August 21, 1911, he removed the painting from the wall and carried it down a staircase. When he could not open an exit door, another worker unknowingly helped him open it. Peruggia then calmly walked out of the museum with the Mona Lisa hidden under his clothing.
The theft shocked the public. When visitors arrived at the museum they saw an empty space where the painting had once hung.
Newspapers around the world reported the disappearance. Crowds gathered at the Louvre just to see the empty wall.
For two years the painting remained hidden in Peruggia’s apartment. Eventually he travelled to Florence and attempted to sell it to an art dealer.
Instead of buying it, the dealer contacted the authorities. Peruggia was arrested and the Mona Lisa was returned to France.
The dramatic story captured the imagination of the public. Media coverage turned the painting into an international sensation.
Ironically, the theft that once removed the painting from the museum ultimately made it the most famous artwork in the world.
B1：単語リスト
| Word | Simple English Meaning | Japanese Meaning | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| attempt | to try to do something | 試みる | The thief attempted to sell the painting. |
| collection | a group of valuable objects | コレクション / 収集品 | The painting joined the royal collection. |
| dealer | a person who buys and sells items | 美術商 | The art dealer contacted the police. |
| famous | known around the world | 有名な | The Mona Lisa became famous worldwide. |
| international | involving many countries | 国際的な | The news became international. |
| merchant | a person who sells goods | 商人 | Lisa Gherardini was the wife of a merchant. |
| remove | to take something away | 取り外す | The thief removed the painting from the wall. |
| scholar | a person who studies a subject deeply | 学者 | Scholars studied Leonardo’s techniques. |
| subject | the person shown in a painting | 被写体 / 主題 | The subject of the painting is Lisa. |
| theft | the act of stealing | 窃盗 | The theft shocked the world. |
動画（B2上位〜C1）：原文で学ぶ
Watch the video and answer the questions below.
動画の理解度チェック
- Who was Vincenzo Peruggia and how did he manage to steal the painting?
- Who originally requested the portrait that became the Mona Lisa?
- What artistic techniques developed by Leonardo can be seen in the painting?
- Why did some scholars consider the Mona Lisa just one great painting among many?
- How did early writers like Giorgio Vasari contribute to the painting’s reputation?
- Why did crowds gather at the Louvre after the painting was stolen?
- Why did Peruggia believe he was justified in stealing the painting?
- What happened when Peruggia attempted to sell the painting in Florence?
- How did media attention influence the fame of the Mona Lisa?
- According to the video, what does the Mona Lisa represent today beyond being a Renaissance portrait?
動画の単語リスト
| Word | Simple English Meaning | Japanese Meaning | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| allure | a strong mysterious attraction | 魅力 | Many writers described the allure of Mona Lisa’s smile. |
| arguably | used to say something may be true | おそらく / 議論の余地があるが | The Mona Lisa is arguably the most famous painting. |
| atmospheric perspective | an art method that makes distant things look hazy | 空気遠近法 | Leonardo used atmospheric perspective in the background. |
| celebrity | someone or something widely known | 有名人 / 有名な存在 | The painting became a global celebrity. |
| embodiment | a perfect example of something | 体現 | Some writers called it the embodiment of beauty. |
| gradations | small gradual changes | 微妙な変化 | The painting shows subtle color gradations. |
| heist | a robbery of valuable objects | 強盗 | The famous heist happened in 1911. |
| iconic | widely recognized | 象徴的な | The Mona Lisa is an iconic artwork. |
| optics | the science of light and vision | 光学 | Leonardo studied optics. |
| pioneer | to develop something new first | 先駆けとなる | Leonardo helped pioneer new techniques. |
| patriot | someone who strongly supports their country | 愛国者 | The thief believed he was a patriot. |
| sfumato | a painting technique that blends colors softly | スフマート技法 | Leonardo used sfumato to soften edges. |
| interrogate | to question someone formally | 取り調べる | Police interrogated several suspects. |
| portrait | a painting of a person | 肖像画 | The Mona Lisa is a portrait. |
| scholar | an expert who studies a subject | 学者 | Scholars analyzed the painting for centuries. |
モナ・リザについての10のおもしろい事実
モナ・リザについての10のおもしろい事実
- The Mona Lisa was painted around 1503 and took many years to complete.
モナ・リザは1503年ごろに描き始められ、完成までに何年もかかりました。 - The painting is surprisingly small, measuring about 77 cm by 53 cm.
この絵は意外と小さく、大きさは約77センチ×53センチです。 - Leonardo da Vinci carried the painting with him for years instead of delivering it to the original client.
レオナルド・ダ・ヴィンチは、この絵を依頼主に渡さず、何年もの間自分で持ち歩いていました。 - The painting entered the French royal collection after Leonardo’s death.
この絵は、レオナルドの死後、フランス王室のコレクションに入りました。 - Napoleon once displayed the Mona Lisa in his bedroom.
ナポレオンはかつてモナ・リザを自分の寝室に飾っていました。 - When the painting was stolen in 1911, crowds came to the Louvre just to see the empty space on the wall.
1911年にこの絵が盗まれたとき、人々は壁の空いた場所を見るためだけにルーヴルに集まりました。 - Police even questioned Pablo Picasso during the investigation.
警察は捜査中にパブロ・ピカソにまで事情聴取をしました。 - The painting was hidden in a suitcase for two years.
その絵は2年間、スーツケースの中に隠されていました。 - Today the Mona Lisa is protected by bulletproof glass and climate control.
現在、モナ・リザは防弾ガラスと温度・湿度管理によって保護されています。 - Millions of visitors come to the Louvre each year mainly to see this single painting.
毎年、何百万人もの来館者が、主にこの1枚の絵を見るためにルーヴルを訪れます。
読み終えたら、いちばん驚いた事実を一つ選び、英語で説明してみましょう。初級なら一文で。中級以上なら「なぜそれが印象に残ったか」も加えてください。例えば、Why did the theft change how people saw the painting? という問いから会話を始められます。
Natural Englishのレッスンでは、興味のある物語を使って、読む・聞く・話す練習を自分のレベルに合わせて進められます。
