diff --git a/doc/users/whats_new.rst b/doc/users/whats_new.rst
index ebe7f9012d99..dcbff97b2ead 100644
--- a/doc/users/whats_new.rst
+++ b/doc/users/whats_new.rst
@@ -38,6 +38,17 @@ Features that depend on the Python Imaging Library, such as JPEG
 handling, do not work, since the version of PIL for Python 3.x is not
 sufficiently mature.
 
+Object-oriented interface
+-------------------------
+
+Damon McDougall has reduced some of the boilerplate code needed to interact
+with the object-oriented interface. Now a figure canvas is set up by default::
+
+    >>> from matplotlib.figure import Figure
+    >>> fig = Figure()
+    >>> ax = fig.add_subplot(1, 1, 1)
+    >>> fig.savefig('figure.pdf')
+
 PGF/TikZ backend
 ----------------
 Peter Würtz wrote a backend that allows matplotlib to export figures as
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_agg.py b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_agg.py
index e221989a6dbd..9760336b5bf8 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_agg.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_agg.py
@@ -515,3 +515,5 @@ def print_to_buffer(self):
                   (int(renderer.width), int(renderer.height)))
         renderer.dpi = original_dpi
         return result
+
+FigureCanvas = FigureCanvasAgg
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_cairo.py b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_cairo.py
index 966e618fa408..00471f0398c1 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_cairo.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_cairo.py
@@ -512,3 +512,5 @@ def _save (self, fo, format, **kwargs):
 
         ctx.show_page()
         surface.finish()
+
+FigureCanvas = FigureCanvasCairo
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_cocoaagg.py b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_cocoaagg.py
index 5c9c04938874..dd4142404e8c 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_cocoaagg.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_cocoaagg.py
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ def stop_event_loop(self):
         FigureCanvasBase.stop_event_loop_default(self)
     stop_event_loop.__doc__=FigureCanvasBase.stop_event_loop_default.__doc__
 
-
+FigureCanvas = FigureCanvasCocoaAgg
 
 NibClassBuilder.extractClasses('Matplotlib.nib', mplBundle)
 
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_emf.py b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_emf.py
index 50da4fea706f..7a289b79829b 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_emf.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_emf.py
@@ -727,6 +727,8 @@ def print_emf(self, filename, dpi=300, **kwargs):
     def get_default_filetype(self):
         return 'emf'
 
+FigureCanvas = FigureCanvasEMF
+
 class FigureManagerEMF(FigureManagerBase):
     """
     Wrap everything up into a window for the pylab interface
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_fltkagg.py b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_fltkagg.py
index 7a2a7f258f2c..d132e6489c89 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_fltkagg.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_fltkagg.py
@@ -231,6 +231,8 @@ def stop_event_loop(self):
         FigureCanvasBase.stop_event_loop_default(self)
     stop_event_loop.__doc__=FigureCanvasBase.stop_event_loop_default.__doc__
 
+FigureCanvas = FigureCanvasFltkAgg
+
 def destroy_figure(ptr, figman):
     figman.window.hide()
     Fltk.Fl.wait(0)         # This is needed to make the last figure vanish.
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_gdk.py b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_gdk.py
index c0790c6591bb..556fea2c16a2 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_gdk.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_gdk.py
@@ -434,7 +434,7 @@ def new_figure_manager_given_figure(num, figure):
     return manager
 
 
-class FigureCanvasGDK (FigureCanvasBase):
+class FigureCanvasGDK(FigureCanvasBase):
     def __init__(self, figure):
         FigureCanvasBase.__init__(self, figure)
 
@@ -472,3 +472,5 @@ def _print_image(self, filename, format, *args, **kwargs):
                                  0, 0, 0, 0, width, height)
 
         pixbuf.save(filename, format)
+
+FigureCanvas = FigureCanvasGDK
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_gtk.py b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_gtk.py
index 8336ddaecf8e..3d107352f6f5 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_gtk.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_gtk.py
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ def _on_timer(self):
             return False
 
 
-class FigureCanvasGTK (gtk.DrawingArea, FigureCanvasBase):
+class FigureCanvasGTK(gtk.DrawingArea, FigureCanvasBase):
     keyvald = {65507 : 'control',
                65505 : 'shift',
                65513 : 'alt',
@@ -519,6 +519,8 @@ def stop_event_loop(self):
         FigureCanvasBase.stop_event_loop_default(self)
     stop_event_loop.__doc__=FigureCanvasBase.stop_event_loop_default.__doc__
 
+FigureCanvas = FigureCanvasGTK
+
 class FigureManagerGTK(FigureManagerBase):
     """
     Public attributes
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_gtk3.py b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_gtk3.py
index f9013257ce30..7e2fc585b1d9 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_gtk3.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_gtk3.py
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ def _on_timer(self):
             self._timer = None
             return False
 
-class FigureCanvasGTK3 (Gtk.DrawingArea, FigureCanvasBase):
+class FigureCanvasGTK3(Gtk.DrawingArea, FigureCanvasBase):
     keyvald = {65507 : 'control',
                65505 : 'shift',
                65513 : 'alt',
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_gtk3agg.py b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_gtk3agg.py
index c05e0266631a..44e4516bd1c6 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_gtk3agg.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_gtk3agg.py
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ def print_png(self, filename, *args, **kwargs):
         agg = self.switch_backends(backend_agg.FigureCanvasAgg)
         return agg.print_png(filename, *args, **kwargs)
 
+FigureCanvas = FigureCanvasGTK3Agg
 
 class FigureManagerGTK3Agg(backend_gtk3.FigureManagerGTK3):
     pass
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_gtk3cairo.py b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_gtk3cairo.py
index 2b1fefc04d4b..b2fef69e7289 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_gtk3cairo.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_gtk3cairo.py
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ def on_draw_event(self, widget, ctx):
 
         return False  # finish event propagation?
 
+FigureCanvas = FigureCanvasGTK3Cairo
 
 class FigureManagerGTK3Cairo(backend_gtk3.FigureManagerGTK3):
     pass
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_gtkagg.py b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_gtkagg.py
index aa7c42a68027..9a765f903d2e 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_gtkagg.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_gtkagg.py
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ def _get_toolbar(self, canvas):
             toolbar = None
         return toolbar
 
+FigureCanvas = FigureManagerGTKAgg
 
 def new_figure_manager(num, *args, **kwargs):
     """
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_gtkcairo.py b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_gtkcairo.py
index 2cd41ba720eb..d57734646bf0 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_gtkcairo.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_gtkcairo.py
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ def _renderer_init(self):
         if _debug: print('%s.%s()' % (self.__class__.__name__, _fn_name()))
         self._renderer = RendererGTKCairo (self.figure.dpi)
 
+FigureCanvas = FigureCanvasGTKCairo
 
 class FigureManagerGTKCairo(FigureManagerGTK):
     def _get_toolbar(self, canvas):
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_macosx.py b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_macosx.py
index a8fb1b758fed..f06dd36ed4a7 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_macosx.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_macosx.py
@@ -352,6 +352,7 @@ def new_timer(self, *args, **kwargs):
         """
         return TimerMac(*args, **kwargs)
 
+FigureCanvas = FigureCanvasMac
 
 class FigureManagerMac(_macosx.FigureManager, FigureManagerBase):
     """
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_pdf.py b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_pdf.py
index 06f9b1d30156..3211a2eb80d4 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_pdf.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_pdf.py
@@ -2299,6 +2299,8 @@ def print_pdf(self, filename, **kwargs):
             else:            # we opened the file above; now finish it off
                 file.close()
 
+FigureCanvas = FigureCanvasPdf
+
 class FigureManagerPdf(FigureManagerBase):
     pass
 
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_pgf.py b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_pgf.py
index efdc7b340edc..8cee93a32236 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_pgf.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_pgf.py
@@ -838,6 +838,8 @@ def _render_texts_pgf(self, fh):
     def get_renderer(self):
         return RendererPgf(self.figure, None)
 
+FigureCanvas = FigureCanvasPgf
+
 class FigureManagerPgf(FigureManagerBase):
     def __init__(self, *args):
         FigureManagerBase.__init__(self, *args)
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_ps.py b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_ps.py
index d604028c554c..e460fa61f9e3 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_ps.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_ps.py
@@ -1357,6 +1357,8 @@ def write(self, *kl, **kwargs):
             shutil.move(tmpfile, outfile)
             os.chmod(outfile, mode)
 
+FigureCanvas = FigureCanvasPS
+
 def convert_psfrags(tmpfile, psfrags, font_preamble, custom_preamble,
                     paperWidth, paperHeight, orientation):
     """
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_qt.py b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_qt.py
index 0e1836a81acf..094d5d68c684 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_qt.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_qt.py
@@ -203,6 +203,8 @@ def stop_event_loop(self):
         FigureCanvasBase.stop_event_loop_default(self)
     stop_event_loop.__doc__=FigureCanvasBase.stop_event_loop_default.__doc__
 
+FigureCanvas = FigureCanvasQT
+
 class FigureManagerQT( FigureManagerBase ):
     """
     Public attributes
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_qt4.py b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_qt4.py
index f64bfa4245ff..3ba2814424e7 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_qt4.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_qt4.py
@@ -377,6 +377,8 @@ def idle_draw(*args):
             self._idle = True
         if d: QtCore.QTimer.singleShot(0, idle_draw)
 
+FigureCanvas = FigureCanvasQT
+
 class FigureManagerQT( FigureManagerBase ):
     """
     Public attributes
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_qt4agg.py b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_qt4agg.py
index 07017818e853..ddba18fcd527 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_qt4agg.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_qt4agg.py
@@ -145,3 +145,5 @@ def blit(self, bbox=None):
     def print_figure(self, *args, **kwargs):
         FigureCanvasAgg.print_figure(self, *args, **kwargs)
         self.draw()
+
+FigureCanvas = FigureCanvasQTAgg
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_qtagg.py b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_qtagg.py
index 91a9cd47133e..61fc731fd733 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_qtagg.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_qtagg.py
@@ -156,3 +156,5 @@ def blit(self, bbox=None):
     def print_figure(self, *args, **kwargs):
         FigureCanvasAgg.print_figure(self, *args, **kwargs)
         self.draw()
+
+FigureCanvas = FigureCanvasQTAgg
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_svg.py b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_svg.py
index aa117ca9bacb..a5c57c30af44 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_svg.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_svg.py
@@ -1143,6 +1143,8 @@ def _print_svg(self, filename, svgwriter, fh_to_close=None, **kwargs):
     def get_default_filetype(self):
         return 'svg'
 
+FigureCanvas = FigureCanvasSVG
+
 class FigureManagerSVG(FigureManagerBase):
     pass
 
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_template.py b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_template.py
index ae7f01088e9c..eaf21c08e78f 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_template.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_template.py
@@ -245,6 +245,8 @@ def print_foo(self, filename, *args, **kwargs):
     def get_default_filetype(self):
         return 'foo'
 
+FigureCanvas = FigureCanvasTemplate
+
 class FigureManagerTemplate(FigureManagerBase):
     """
     Wrap everything up into a window for the pylab interface
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_tkagg.py b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_tkagg.py
index 322a2892796c..2135e0183e4f 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_tkagg.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_tkagg.py
@@ -505,6 +505,8 @@ def stop_event_loop(self):
         FigureCanvasBase.stop_event_loop_default(self)
     stop_event_loop.__doc__=FigureCanvasBase.stop_event_loop_default.__doc__
 
+FigureCanvas = FigureCanvasTkAgg
+
 class FigureManagerTkAgg(FigureManagerBase):
     """
     Public attributes
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_wx.py b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_wx.py
index 3c61d1e412bd..d76914aab072 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_wx.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_wx.py
@@ -1400,6 +1400,7 @@ def _onEnter(self, evt):
         """Mouse has entered the window."""
         FigureCanvasBase.enter_notify_event(self, guiEvent = evt)
 
+FigureCanvas = FigureCanvasWx
 
 ########################################################################
 #
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_wxagg.py b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_wxagg.py
index 5b301a045f04..c10b0ee5d19a 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_wxagg.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_wxagg.py
@@ -105,6 +105,8 @@ def print_figure(self, filename, *args, **kwargs):
         if self._isDrawn:
             self.draw()
 
+FigureCanvas = FigureCanvasWxAgg
+
 class NavigationToolbar2WxAgg(NavigationToolbar2Wx):
     def get_canvas(self, frame, fig):
         return FigureCanvasWxAgg(frame, -1, fig)
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/figure.py b/lib/matplotlib/figure.py
index 83667085416b..4dc36a31aac5 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/figure.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/figure.py
@@ -318,7 +318,7 @@ def __init__(self,
         self.patch.set_aa(False)
 
         self._hold = rcParams['axes.hold']
-        self.canvas = None
+        self.canvas = self._setup_canvas()
 
         if subplotpars is None:
             subplotpars = SubplotParams()
@@ -330,6 +330,14 @@ def __init__(self,
         self.clf()
         self._cachedRenderer = None
 
+    def _setup_canvas(self):
+        """
+        Return the FigureCanvas instance defined by the currently loaded backend.
+        """
+        import matplotlib.backends as mbackends  # lazy import
+        backend_mod = mbackends.pylab_setup()[0]
+        return backend_mod.FigureCanvas(self)
+
     def _get_axes(self):
         return self._axstack.as_list()