kolpeshtheyardstick made a pretty great video essay about the work and its historical context and cultural impact. (01:04:19)

I never heard about how it was made before and that really changed how I view the work.

Insanity created some of the most definitely gothic images ever. Goya is so slept on. I'm especially partial to his etchings

True, I just always want to know the facts about everything, no matter how insignificant, for historical posterity and my own curiosity.

4 feet tall and painted directly onto the wall of his dining room, too. My kinda guy.

He certainly wasn't horrified about doing it in the original myth, as far as I remember.

Yeah I've heard few different intersting takes. I think most people agree the expression is mechanical like you said.

This is just my impression. It's the lighting more than anything that makes me feel this way. The painting seems to be illuminating the devourer in a way that suggests he might be seeing his own act for the first time himself.