It is unknown how the Tommy McRae drawing came into Una Teague's possesion. However it was probably through her sister Violet Teague, who was a well known artist.

Tommy McRae an Australian Aboriginal artist, c1835-1901 was one of the first Aboriginal artists to be taught western artistic traditions, such as drawing figures in charcoal on paper.

His books of drawings mostly recorded traditional Aboriginal life, such as ceremonies and scenes of hunting and fishing.

Some drawings were annotated as the work of 'Tommy Barnes'. The artist possibly adopted the name of an employer, the Wodonga pastoralist David Barnes.

McRae died on 15 October 1901 and was buried in the Carlyle cemetery at Wahgunyah.

His drawings are held in several public collections in Australia, including the National Museum of Australia and the National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, Koorie Heritage Trust, Melbourne University Archives, the State libraries of Victoria and New South Wales and the Museum Victoria.

See "Aboriginal Artists of the Nineteenth Century", by Andrew Sayers for further information.