Remove use of the discouraged plt.imread() in the docs. (#31188)

anntzer · web-flow · commit cb63559d6115 · 2026-02-23T16:41:41.000-05:00
diff --git a/galleries/examples/images_contours_and_fields/image_clip_path.py b/galleries/examples/images_contours_and_fields/image_clip_path.py
@@ -5,13 +5,15 @@
 
 Demo of image that's been clipped by a circular patch.
 """
+
+from PIL import Image
+
 import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
 
 import matplotlib.cbook as cbook
 import matplotlib.patches as patches
 
-with cbook.get_sample_data('grace_hopper.jpg') as image_file:
-    image = plt.imread(image_file)
+image = Image.open(cbook.get_sample_data("grace_hopper.jpg"))
 
 fig, ax = plt.subplots()
 im = ax.imshow(image)
diff --git a/galleries/examples/images_contours_and_fields/image_demo.py b/galleries/examples/images_contours_and_fields/image_demo.py
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@
 functionality of imshow and the many images you can create.
 """
 
+from PIL import Image
+
 import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
 import numpy as np
 
@@ -40,8 +42,7 @@
 # It is also possible to show images of pictures.
 
 # A sample image
-with cbook.get_sample_data('grace_hopper.jpg') as image_file:
-    image = plt.imread(image_file)
+image = Image.open(cbook.get_sample_data("grace_hopper.jpg"))
 
 # And another image, using 256x256 16-bit integers.
 w, h = 256, 256
diff --git a/galleries/examples/misc/demo_ribbon_box.py b/galleries/examples/misc/demo_ribbon_box.py
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@
 
 """
 
+from PIL import Image
+
 import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
 import numpy as np
 
@@ -16,8 +18,9 @@
 
 class RibbonBox:
 
-    original_image = plt.imread(
-        cbook.get_sample_data("Minduka_Present_Blue_Pack.png"))
+    # Image.open reads this image as 8-bit; divide by 255 to convert to 0-1.
+    original_image = np.asarray(Image.open(
+        cbook.get_sample_data("Minduka_Present_Blue_Pack.png"))) / 255
     cut_location = 70
     b_and_h = original_image[:, :, 2:3]
     color = original_image[:, :, 2:3] - original_image[:, :, 0:1]
diff --git a/galleries/examples/text_labels_and_annotations/demo_text_path.py b/galleries/examples/text_labels_and_annotations/demo_text_path.py
@@ -3,11 +3,12 @@
 Using a text as a Path
 ======================
 
-`~matplotlib.text.TextPath` creates a `.Path` that is the outline of the
-characters of a text. The resulting path can be employed e.g. as a clip path
-for an image.
+`.TextPath` creates a `.Path` that is the outline of the characters of a text.
+The resulting path can be employed e.g. as a clip path for an image.
 """
 
+from PIL import Image
+
 import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
 import numpy as np
 
@@ -50,7 +51,7 @@ def draw(self, renderer=None):
 
     # EXAMPLE 1
 
-    arr = plt.imread(get_sample_data("grace_hopper.jpg"))
+    arr = Image.open(get_sample_data("grace_hopper.jpg"))
 
     text_path = TextPath((0, 0), "!?", size=150)
     p = PathClippedImagePatch(text_path, arr, ec="k")
diff --git a/galleries/examples/text_labels_and_annotations/mathtext_asarray.py b/galleries/examples/text_labels_and_annotations/mathtext_asarray.py
@@ -6,7 +6,10 @@
 
 from io import BytesIO
 
+from PIL import Image
+
 import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
+import numpy as np
 
 from matplotlib.figure import Figure
 from matplotlib.transforms import IdentityTransform
@@ -17,7 +20,7 @@ def text_to_rgba(s, *, dpi, **kwargs):
     # - draw it on an empty and transparent figure;
     # - save the figure to a temporary buffer using ``bbox_inches="tight",
     #   pad_inches=0`` which will pick the correct area to save;
-    # - load the buffer using ``plt.imread``.
+    # - load the buffer using ``PIL.Image.open``.
     #
     # (If desired, one can also directly save the image to the filesystem.)
     fig = Figure(facecolor="none")
@@ -26,7 +29,7 @@ def text_to_rgba(s, *, dpi, **kwargs):
         fig.savefig(buf, dpi=dpi, format="png", bbox_inches="tight",
                     pad_inches=0)
         buf.seek(0)
-        rgba = plt.imread(buf)
+        rgba = np.asarray(Image.open(buf))
     return rgba
 
 
diff --git a/galleries/examples/user_interfaces/mplcvd.py b/galleries/examples/user_interfaces/mplcvd.py
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 import functools
 from pathlib import Path
 
+from PIL import Image
 import colorspacious
 
 import numpy as np
@@ -289,8 +290,7 @@ def _setup_wx(tb):
     fig.colorbar(imt)
 
     # A sample image
-    with cbook.get_sample_data('grace_hopper.jpg') as image_file:
-        photo = plt.imread(image_file)
+    photo = Image.open(cbook.get_sample_data("grace_hopper.jpg"))
     axd['photo'].imshow(photo)
 
     th = np.linspace(0, 2*np.pi, 1024)
