diff --git a/doc/release/next_whats_new/partial_figsize_none.rst b/doc/release/next_whats_new/partial_figsize_none.rst
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..43bd3e34cc73
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/release/next_whats_new/partial_figsize_none.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+Partial ``figsize`` specification at figure creation
+----------------------------------------------------
+
+Figure creation now accepts a single ``None`` in ``figsize``.
+Passing ``(None, h)`` uses the default width from :rc:`figure.figsize`, and
+passing ``(w, None)`` uses the default height.
+Passing ``(None, None)`` is invalid and raises a `ValueError`.
+
+For example::
+
+    import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
+    fig = plt.figure(figsize=(None, 4))
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/figure.py b/lib/matplotlib/figure.py
index 501b3e32ebf4..ad0206e0db5c 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/figure.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/figure.py
@@ -2492,6 +2492,9 @@ def __init__(self,
             - a tuple ``(width, height)``, which is interpreted in inches, i.e. as
               ``(width, height, "in")``.
 
+            One of *width* or *height* may be ``None``; the respective value is
+            taken from :rc:`figure.figsize`.
+
         dpi : float, default: :rc:`figure.dpi`
             Dots per inch.
 
@@ -3155,6 +3158,10 @@ def set_size_inches(self, w, h=None, forward=True):
         """
         if h is None:  # Got called with a single pair as argument.
             w, h = w
+        if w is None or h is None:
+            raise ValueError(
+                "Figure.set_size_inches does not accept None; provide both "
+                "width and height explicitly")
         size = np.array([w, h])
         if not np.isfinite(size).all() or (size < 0).any():
             raise ValueError(f'figure size must be positive finite not {size}')
@@ -3763,25 +3770,40 @@ def _parse_figsize(figsize, dpi):
     """
     num_parts = len(figsize)
     if num_parts == 2:
-        return figsize
+        x, y = figsize
     elif num_parts == 3:
         x, y, unit = figsize
         if unit == 'in':
             pass
         elif unit == 'cm':
-            x /= 2.54
-            y /= 2.54
+            if x is not None:
+                x /= 2.54
+            if y is not None:
+                y /= 2.54
         elif unit == 'px':
-            x /= dpi
-            y /= dpi
+            if x is not None:
+                x /= dpi
+            if y is not None:
+                y /= dpi
         else:
             raise ValueError(
                 f"Invalid unit {unit!r} in 'figsize'; "
                 "supported units are 'in', 'cm', 'px'"
             )
-        return x, y
     else:
         raise ValueError(
             "Invalid figsize format, expected (x, y) or (x, y, unit) but got "
             f"{figsize!r}"
         )
+
+    if x is None and y is None:
+        raise ValueError(
+            "figsize=(None, None) is invalid; at least one of width or "
+            "height must be provided")
+
+    default_width, default_height = mpl.rcParams["figure.figsize"]
+    if x is None:
+        x = default_width
+    if y is None:
+        y = default_height
+    return x, y
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/pyplot.py b/lib/matplotlib/pyplot.py
index 483bc031336c..ed7821ca1b27 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/pyplot.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/pyplot.py
@@ -947,6 +947,9 @@ def figure(
           "px".
         - a tuple ``(x, y)``, which is interpreted as ``(x, y, "inch")``.
 
+        One of *width* or *height* may be ``None``; the respective value is taken
+        from :rc:`figure.figsize`.
+
     dpi : float, default: :rc:`figure.dpi`
         The resolution of the figure in dots-per-inch.
 
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_figure.py b/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_figure.py
index bb358fa6269f..0e793a6e7671 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_figure.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_figure.py
@@ -1883,6 +1883,24 @@ def test_figsize(figsize, figsize_inches):
     assert tuple(fig.get_size_inches()) == figsize_inches
 
 
+def test_figsize_partial_none():
+    default_w, default_h = mpl.rcParams["figure.figsize"]
+
+    fig = plt.figure(figsize=(None, 4))
+    w, h = fig.get_size_inches()
+    assert (w, h) == (default_w, 4)
+
+    fig = plt.figure(figsize=(6, None))
+    w, h = fig.get_size_inches()
+    assert (w, h) == (6, default_h)
+
+
+def test_figsize_both_none():
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError,
+                       match=r"figsize=\(None, None\) is invalid"):
+        plt.figure(figsize=(None, None))
+
+
 def test_figsize_invalid_unit():
     with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="Invalid unit 'um'"):
         plt.figure(figsize=(6, 4, "um"))