Born in Shanghai, Filipino artist Antonio Austria was named by his parents after San Antonio de Padua, the patron saint of lost items. He grew up in the quiet suburb of San Juan, attended San Sebastian College in 1948, and by that time had decided he wanted to be an artist.

In 1952, he enrolled in the University of Sto. Tomas, known as the 'bastian of modern art in the Philippines'. He was trained by Professors Vicorio Edades, Vicnete Manansala, Diosdado Lorenzo and Galo Ocampo. The most influential was Manansala, who taught him to give his own personal interpretation to everyday scenes.

As a result Austria developed his own style, which is abstract and often has short human figures with tubular limbs as ...