diff --git a/doc/api/next_api_changes/deprecations/18680-AL.rst b/doc/api/next_api_changes/deprecations/18680-AL.rst
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..ce9e44e10397
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/api/next_api_changes/deprecations/18680-AL.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+wx backend cleanups
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+The *origin* parameter to ``_FigureCanvasWxBase.gui_repaint`` is deprecated
+with no replacement; ``gui_repaint`` now automatically detects the case where
+it is used with the wx renderer.
+
+The ``NavigationToolbar2Wx.get_canvas`` method is deprecated; directly
+instantiate a canvas (``FigureCanvasWxAgg(frame, -1, figure)``) if needed.
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_wx.py b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_wx.py
index 0e11e3ecfe60..482442ace600 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_wx.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_wx.py
@@ -615,6 +615,7 @@ def _get_imagesave_wildcards(self):
         wildcards = '|'.join(wildcards)
         return wildcards, extensions, filter_index
 
+    @cbook._delete_parameter("3.4", "origin")
     def gui_repaint(self, drawDC=None, origin='WX'):
         """
         Performs update of the displayed image on the GUI canvas, using the
@@ -632,7 +633,8 @@ def gui_repaint(self, drawDC=None, origin='WX'):
         # For 'WX' backend on Windows, the bitmap can not be in use by another
         # DC (see GraphicsContextWx._cache).
         bmp = (self.bitmap.ConvertToImage().ConvertToBitmap()
-               if wx.Platform == '__WXMSW__' and origin == 'WX'
+               if wx.Platform == '__WXMSW__'
+                  and isinstance(self.figure._cachedRenderer, RendererWx)
                else self.bitmap)
         drawDC.DrawBitmap(bmp, 0, 0)
         if self._rubberband_rect is not None:
@@ -1174,6 +1176,7 @@ def _icon(name):
         return wx.Bitmap.FromBufferRGBA(
             image.shape[1], image.shape[0], image.tobytes())
 
+    @cbook.deprecated("3.4")
     def get_canvas(self, frame, fig):
         return type(self.canvas)(frame, -1, fig)
 
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_wxagg.py b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_wxagg.py
index 0899a20738b2..106578e7e14b 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_wxagg.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_wxagg.py
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ def draw(self, drawDC=None):
 
         self.bitmap = _convert_agg_to_wx_bitmap(self.get_renderer(), None)
         self._isDrawn = True
-        self.gui_repaint(drawDC=drawDC, origin='WXAgg')
+        self.gui_repaint(drawDC=drawDC)
 
     def blit(self, bbox=None):
         # docstring inherited
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_wxcairo.py b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_wxcairo.py
index 5fcd263685a2..6cb0b9d68414 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_wxcairo.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_wxcairo.py
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ def draw(self, drawDC=None):
         self.figure.draw(self._renderer)
         self.bitmap = wxcairo.BitmapFromImageSurface(surface)
         self._isDrawn = True
-        self.gui_repaint(drawDC=drawDC, origin='WXCairo')
+        self.gui_repaint(drawDC=drawDC)
 
 
 @_BackendWx.export