matplotlib · isaacrobinson2000 · Dec 25, 2021 · Dec 25, 2021 · Dec 28, 2021 · Dec 28, 2021
diff --git a/doc/api/axes_api.rst b/doc/api/axes_api.rst
@@ -194,6 +194,7 @@ Text and annotations
    Axes.table
    Axes.arrow
    Axes.inset_axes
+   Axes.inset_zoom_axes
    Axes.indicate_inset
    Axes.indicate_inset_zoom
    Axes.secondary_xaxis

diff --git a/doc/users/next_whats_new/autoplot_inset_axes.rst b/doc/users/next_whats_new/autoplot_inset_axes.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+Addition of an inset Axes with automatic zoom plotting
+------------------------------------------------------
+
+It is now possible to create an inset axes that is a zoom-in on a region in
+the parent axes without needing to replot all items a second time, using the
+`~matplotlib.axes.Axes.inset_zoom_axes` method of the
+`~matplotlib.axes.Axes` class. Arguments for this method are backwards
+compatible with the `~matplotlib.axes.Axes.inset_axes` method.
+
+.. plot::
+    :include-source: true
+
+    import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
+    import numpy as np
+    np.random.seed(1)
+    fig = plt.figure()
+    ax = fig.gca()
+    ax.plot([i for i in range(10)], "r-o")
+    ax.text(3, 2.5, "Hello World!", ha="center")
+    ax.imshow(np.random.rand(30, 30), origin="lower", cmap="Blues", alpha=0.5)
+    axins = ax.inset_zoom_axes([0.5, 0.5, 0.48, 0.48])
+    axins.set_xlim(1, 5)
+    axins.set_ylim(1, 5)
+    ax.indicate_inset_zoom(axins, edgecolor="black")
+    plt.show()
diff --git a/examples/subplots_axes_and_figures/zoom_inset_axes.py b/examples/subplots_axes_and_figures/zoom_inset_axes.py
@@ -24,11 +24,10 @@ def get_demo_image():
 ny, nx = Z.shape
 Z2[30:30+ny, 30:30+nx] = Z
 
-ax.imshow(Z2, extent=extent, origin="lower")
+ax.imshow(Z2, extent=extent, interpolation='nearest', origin="lower")
 
 # inset axes....
-axins = ax.inset_axes([0.5, 0.5, 0.47, 0.47])
-axins.imshow(Z2, extent=extent, origin="lower")
+axins = ax.inset_zoom_axes([0.5, 0.5, 0.47, 0.47])
 # sub region of the original image
 x1, x2, y1, y2 = -1.5, -0.9, -2.5, -1.9
 axins.set_xlim(x1, x2)
@@ -47,6 +46,6 @@ def get_demo_image():
 #    The use of the following functions, methods, classes and modules is shown
 #    in this example:
 #
-#    - `matplotlib.axes.Axes.inset_axes`
+#    - `matplotlib.axes.Axes.inset_zoom_axes`
 #    - `matplotlib.axes.Axes.indicate_inset_zoom`
 #    - `matplotlib.axes.Axes.imshow`
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/axes/_axes.py b/lib/matplotlib/axes/_axes.py
@@ -367,6 +367,59 @@ def inset_axes(self, bounds, *, transform=None, zorder=5, **kwargs):
 
         return inset_ax
 
+    def inset_zoom_axes(self, bounds, *, transform=None, zorder=5,
+                        image_interpolation="nearest", **kwargs):
+        """
+        Add a child inset Axes to this existing Axes, which automatically plots
+        artists contained within the parent Axes.
+
+        Parameters
+        ----------
+        bounds : [x0, y0, width, height]
+            Lower-left corner of inset Axes, and its width and height.
+
+        transform : `.Transform`
+            Defaults to `ax.transAxes`, i.e. the units of *rect* are in
+            Axes-relative coordinates.
+
+        zorder : number
+            Defaults to 5 (same as `.Axes.legend`).  Adjust higher or lower
+            to change whether it is above or below data plotted on the
+            parent Axes.
+
+        image_interpolation: string
+            Supported options are 'antialiased', 'nearest', 'bilinear',
+            'bicubic', 'spline16', 'spline36', 'hanning', 'hamming', 'hermite',
+            'kaiser', 'quadric', 'catrom', 'gaussian', 'bessel', 'mitchell',
+            'sinc', 'lanczos', or 'none'. The default value is 'nearest'. This
+            determines the interpolation used when attempting to render a
+            zoomed version of an image.
+
+        **kwargs
+            Other keyword arguments are passed on to the child `.Axes`.
+
+        Returns
+        -------
+        ax
+            The created `~.axes.Axes` instance.
+
+        Examples
+        --------
+        See `Axes.inset_axes` method for examples.
+        """
+        if(transform is None):
+            transform = self.transAxes
+
+        inset_loc = _TransformedBoundsLocator(bounds, transform)
+        bb = inset_loc(self, None)
+
+        from ._zoom_axes import ViewAxes
+        axin = ViewAxes(self, bb.bounds, zorder, image_interpolation, **kwargs)
+        axin.set_axes_locator(inset_loc)
+        self.add_child_axes(axin)
+
+        return axin
+
     @docstring.dedent_interpd
     def indicate_inset(self, bounds, inset_ax=None, *, transform=None,
                        facecolor='none', edgecolor='0.5', alpha=0.5,