diff --git a/examples/images_contours_and_fields/image_demo.py b/examples/images_contours_and_fields/image_demo.py
index 6b73458153e4..83e49217816f 100644
--- a/examples/images_contours_and_fields/image_demo.py
+++ b/examples/images_contours_and_fields/image_demo.py
@@ -1,12 +1,11 @@
 """
 Simple demo of the imshow function.
 """
-import numpy as np
 import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
 import matplotlib.cbook as cbook
 
-image_file = cbook.get_sample_data('lena.npy')
-image = np.load(image_file)
+image_file = cbook.get_sample_data('ada.png')
+image = plt.imread(image_file)
 
 plt.imshow(image)
 plt.axis('off') # clear x- and y-axes
diff --git a/examples/images_contours_and_fields/image_demo_clip_path.py b/examples/images_contours_and_fields/image_demo_clip_path.py
index ac61d4f0b8cd..77a7f7718b7f 100644
--- a/examples/images_contours_and_fields/image_demo_clip_path.py
+++ b/examples/images_contours_and_fields/image_demo_clip_path.py
@@ -1,18 +1,17 @@
 """
 Demo of image that's been clipped by a circular patch.
 """
-import numpy as np
 import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
 import matplotlib.patches as patches
 import matplotlib.cbook as cbook
 
 
-image_file = cbook.get_sample_data('lena.npy')
-image = np.load(image_file)
+image_file = cbook.get_sample_data('grace_hopper.png')
+image = plt.imread(image_file)
 
 fig, ax = plt.subplots()
 im = ax.imshow(image)
-patch = patches.Circle((130, 130), radius=100, transform=ax.transData)
+patch = patches.Circle((260, 200), radius=200, transform=ax.transData)
 im.set_clip_path(patch)
 
 plt.axis('off')
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/mpl-data/sample_data/lena.npy b/lib/matplotlib/mpl-data/sample_data/lena.npy
deleted file mode 100644
index 39f4fb1f07f8..000000000000
Binary files a/lib/matplotlib/mpl-data/sample_data/lena.npy and /dev/null differ