The earliest known photograph of an American first lady was recently discovered after many years out of the public eye. The daguerreotype photograph from 1846 features Dolley Madison, the wife and First Lady to fourth US President James Madison.

Madison’s portrait was auctioned at Sotheby’s with an estimate of $50,000 to $70,000. The Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery purchased the daguerreotype for more than six times the estimate, paying $456,000. It will now be housed in the museum’s permanent collection alongside an 1843 portrait of John Quincy Adams, which is the earliest known photograph of a US president.

She was 81 years old when the photo was taken by John Plumbe Jr. at his studio in Washington, DC. In the photo, she’s wrapped in a shawl, with one of her signature turbans resting on her dark curly hair.

Madison was the first lady from 1809 to 1817 and is remembered for her support and work during the War of 1812. She was known for turning the first lady role into that of hostess by welcoming visiting politicians and encouraging them to set aside political differences during social gatherings. Madison is also remembered for bravely saving a portrait of George Washington in 1814 when the British burned the White House.

“This artifact will provide the Smithsonian another opportunity to tell a more robust American story and illuminate the vital role women like [Dolley] have played in the nation’s progress,” Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III said in a statement.