Because…
Well, it doesnt move and doesnt want paying
Actually a painter told me once that a still life with flowers is difficult to paint because the flowers do“move” - they open if they’re in a vase of water.
I’m sure that’s right. But a bunch of flowers in a vase is rarely food.
Legend suggests that food cost little, could last for a few days and finally could be eaten.
Citations, please.
/jk in case that was at all un-obvious
What if the question was why do artists paint great food?
Still life with steak and french fries would draw my interest!
He paints vegetables, too, and probably the occasional dead game. And carpets. And silver. The usual suspects/subjects.
Could you imagine if Michaelangelo painted a fresca of burger and frites and a spread of ice cream instead of the Last Supper
Milan would be even a hotter tourist destination than it already is.