Matplotlib.artist.Artist.set_clip_path() in Python

Last Updated : 12 Jul, 2025
Matplotlib is a library in Python and it is numerical – mathematical extension for NumPy library. The Artist class contains Abstract base class for objects that render into a FigureCanvas. All visible elements in a figure are subclasses of Artist.

matplotlib.artist.Artist.set_clip_path() method

The set_clip_path() method in artist module of matplotlib library is used to set the artist’s clip path.
Syntax: Artist.set_clip_path(self, path, transform=None) Parameters: This method accepts only two parameters.
  • path: This parameter is the clip path.
  • transform: This parameter in which Path is converted to a TransformedPath using transform.
Returns: This method does not return any value.
Below examples illustrate the matplotlib.artist.Artist.set_clip_path() function in matplotlib: Example 1: Input Image: Python3 1== 
# Implementation of matplotlib function
from matplotlib.artist import Artist
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt 
import matplotlib.patches as patches 
import matplotlib.cbook as cbook 
   
  
with cbook.get_sample_data('loggf.PNG') as image_file: 
    image = plt.imread(image_file) 
   
fig, ax = plt.subplots() 
im = ax.imshow(image) 
patch = patches.Rectangle((10, 10), 
                          560, 
                          500,  
                          transform = ax.transData) 

Artist.set_clip_path(im, patch) 
        
fig.suptitle('matplotlib.artist.Artist.set_clip_path()\
 function Example', fontweight ="bold") 

plt.show()
Output: Example 2: Python3 1== 
# Implementation of matplotlib function
from matplotlib.artist import Artist
import numpy as np 
import matplotlib.cm as cm 
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt 
from matplotlib.path import Path 
from matplotlib.patches import PathPatch 
   
  
delta = 0.025
  
x = y = np.arange(-3.0, 3.0, delta) 
X, Y = np.meshgrid(x, y) 
  
Z1 = np.exp(-X**2 - Y**2) 
Z2 = np.exp(-(X - 1)**2 - (Y - 1)**2) 
Z = (Z1 - Z2) * 2
   
path = Path([[0, 1], [1, 0], [0, -1], 
            [-1, 0], [0, 1]]) 
patch = PathPatch(path, facecolor ='none') 
   
fig, ax = plt.subplots() 
ax.add_patch(patch) 
   
im = ax.imshow(Z, 
               interpolation ='bilinear',  
               cmap = cm.gray, 
               origin ='lower',  
               extent =[-3, 3, -3, 3], 
               clip_path = patch,  
               clip_on = True) 
Artist.set_clip_path(im, patch) 
        
fig.suptitle('matplotlib.artist.Artist.set_clip_path()\
function Example', fontweight ="bold") 

plt.show()
Output:
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