He graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Seville in 1975 and from the Higher School of Fine Arts in Rouen, France, in 1977.

Antonio Matallana is known for his photorealistic still lifes that depict everyday objects with such precision that they seem almost tangible, animated by the masterful use of color and light. Objects such as folded napkins, tin cans, ceramic containers, stand out against a silent background that dialogues with the objects' sharply defined forms, softened by nuanced shadows.
Matallana's compositions stimulate the observer's imagination, evoking personal memories through the representation of timeless familiar objects.

The author describes his technique as a mixture of drawing, egg tempera and oil painting. The use of egg tempera allows him to spread several thin and translucent layers of pigments, thus creating a deep and luminous color. Combined with oil painting, this technique infuses his work with softness in form, richness and fluidity, creating paintings that are at once vibrant and yet magnificently delicate.
The search for balance and harmony is the common thread in Antonio Matallana's work, each element interacting in perfect harmony with the whole to maintain a sense of stability. A peculiarity: the author systematically uses the same volumes and the same formats for his compositions, thus creating a constant basis of a combined rhythm.