diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_transforms.py b/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_transforms.py
index a096f77e5f1c..ad48246735d9 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_transforms.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_transforms.py
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 
 from nose.tools import assert_equal, assert_raises
 import numpy.testing as np_test
-from numpy.testing import assert_almost_equal
+from numpy.testing import assert_almost_equal, assert_array_equal
 from matplotlib.transforms import Affine2D, BlendedGenericTransform
 from matplotlib.path import Path
 from matplotlib.scale import LogScale
@@ -450,14 +450,14 @@ def test_line_extents_for_non_affine_transData(self):
                                              expeted_data_lim)
 
 
+def assert_bbox_eq(bbox1, bbox2):
+    assert_array_equal(bbox1.bounds, bbox2.bounds)
+
+
 def test_bbox_intersection():
     bbox_from_ext = mtrans.Bbox.from_extents
     inter = mtrans.Bbox.intersection
 
-    from numpy.testing import assert_array_equal as assert_a_equal
-    def assert_bbox_eq(bbox1, bbox2):
-        assert_a_equal(bbox1.bounds, bbox2.bounds)
-
     r1 = bbox_from_ext(0, 0, 1, 1)
     r2 = bbox_from_ext(0.5, 0.5, 1.5, 1.5)
     r3 = bbox_from_ext(0.5, 0, 0.75, 0.75)
@@ -476,6 +476,18 @@ def assert_bbox_eq(bbox1, bbox2):
     assert_bbox_eq(inter(r1, r5), bbox_from_ext(1, 1, 1, 1))
 
 
+def test_bbox_as_strings():
+    b = mtrans.Bbox([[.5, 0], [.75, .75]])
+    assert_bbox_eq(b, eval(repr(b), {'Bbox': mtrans.Bbox}))
+    asdict = eval(str(b), {'Bbox': dict})
+    for k, v in asdict.items():
+        assert_equal(getattr(b, k), v)
+    fmt = '.1f'
+    asdict = eval(format(b, fmt), {'Bbox': dict})
+    for k, v in asdict.items():
+        assert_equal(eval(format(getattr(b, k), fmt)), v)
+
+
 if __name__=='__main__':
     import nose
     nose.runmodule(argv=['-s','--with-doctest'], exit=False)
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/transforms.py b/lib/matplotlib/transforms.py
index 61e403a9103f..3df7ce3f1c97 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/transforms.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/transforms.py
@@ -838,8 +838,16 @@ def from_extents(*args):
         points = np.array(args, dtype=np.float_).reshape(2, 2)
         return Bbox(points)
 
+    def __format__(self, fmt):
+        return (
+            'Bbox(x0={0.x0:{1}}, y0={0.y0:{1}}, x1={0.x1:{1}}, y1={0.y1:{1}})'.
+            format(self, fmt))
+
+    def __str__(self):
+        return format(self, '')
+
     def __repr__(self):
-        return 'Bbox(%r)' % repr(self._points)
+        return 'Bbox([[{0.x0}, {0.y0}], [{0.x1}, {0.y1}]])'.format(self)
 
     def ignore(self, value):
         """