diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/backend_bases.py b/lib/matplotlib/backend_bases.py
index 0e7ee91a0a8c..2a75de525592 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/backend_bases.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/backend_bases.py
@@ -1580,6 +1580,13 @@ class FigureCanvasBase:
     # interactive framework is required, or None otherwise.
     required_interactive_framework = None
 
+    # The manager class instantiated by new_manager.
+    # (This is defined as a classproperty because the manager class is
+    # currently defined *after* the canvas class, but one could also assign
+    # ``FigureCanvasBase.manager_class = FigureManagerBase``
+    # after defining both classes.)
+    manager_class = _api.classproperty(lambda cls: FigureManagerBase)
+
     events = [
         'resize_event',
         'draw_event',
@@ -1662,6 +1669,19 @@ def _fix_ipython_backend2gui(cls):
             if _is_non_interactive_terminal_ipython(ip):
                 ip.enable_gui(backend2gui_rif)
 
+    @classmethod
+    def new_manager(cls, figure, num):
+        """
+        Create a new figure manager for *figure*, using this canvas class.
+
+        Notes
+        -----
+        This method should not be reimplemented in subclasses.  If
+        custom manager creation logic is needed, please reimplement
+        ``FigureManager.create_with_canvas``.
+        """
+        return cls.manager_class.create_with_canvas(cls, figure, num)
+
     @contextmanager
     def _idle_draw_cntx(self):
         self._is_idle_drawing = True
@@ -2759,6 +2779,16 @@ def notify_axes_change(fig):
             if self.toolmanager is None and self.toolbar is not None:
                 self.toolbar.update()
 
+    @classmethod
+    def create_with_canvas(cls, canvas_class, figure, num):
+        """
+        Create a manager for a given *figure* using a specific *canvas_class*.
+
+        Backends should override this method if they have specific needs for
+        setting up the canvas or the manager.
+        """
+        return cls(canvas_class(figure), num)
+
     def show(self):
         """
         For GUI backends, show the figure window and redraw.
@@ -3225,11 +3255,10 @@ def configure_subplots(self, *args):
         if hasattr(self, "subplot_tool"):
             self.subplot_tool.figure.canvas.manager.show()
             return
-        plt = _safe_pyplot_import()
+        # This import needs to happen here due to circular imports.
+        from matplotlib.figure import Figure
         with mpl.rc_context({"toolbar": "none"}):  # No navbar for the toolfig.
-            # Use new_figure_manager() instead of figure() so that the figure
-            # doesn't get registered with pyplot.
-            manager = plt.new_figure_manager(-1, (6, 3))
+            manager = type(self.canvas).new_manager(Figure(figsize=(6, 3)), -1)
         manager.set_window_title("Subplot configuration tool")
         tool_fig = manager.canvas.figure
         tool_fig.subplots_adjust(top=0.9)
@@ -3457,9 +3486,7 @@ def new_figure_manager(cls, num, *args, **kwargs):
     @classmethod
     def new_figure_manager_given_figure(cls, num, figure):
         """Create a new figure manager instance for the given figure."""
-        canvas = cls.FigureCanvas(figure)
-        manager = cls.FigureManager(canvas, num)
-        return manager
+        return cls.FigureCanvas.new_manager(figure, num)
 
     @classmethod
     def draw_if_interactive(cls):
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/backends/_backend_tk.py b/lib/matplotlib/backends/_backend_tk.py
index c759fe4840d6..713081155613 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/backends/_backend_tk.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/backends/_backend_tk.py
@@ -162,6 +162,7 @@ def _on_timer(self):
 
 class FigureCanvasTk(FigureCanvasBase):
     required_interactive_framework = "tk"
+    manager_class = _api.classproperty(lambda cls: FigureManagerTk)
 
     def __init__(self, figure=None, master=None):
         super().__init__(figure)
@@ -431,6 +432,43 @@ def __init__(self, canvas, num, window):
 
         self._shown = False
 
+    @classmethod
+    def create_with_canvas(cls, canvas_class, figure, num):
+        # docstring inherited
+        with _restore_foreground_window_at_end():
+            if cbook._get_running_interactive_framework() is None:
+                cbook._setup_new_guiapp()
+                _c_internal_utils.Win32_SetProcessDpiAwareness_max()
+            window = tk.Tk(className="matplotlib")
+            window.withdraw()
+
+            # Put a Matplotlib icon on the window rather than the default tk
+            # icon. See https://www.tcl.tk/man/tcl/TkCmd/wm.html#M50
+            #
+            # `ImageTk` can be replaced with `tk` whenever the minimum
+            # supported Tk version is increased to 8.6, as Tk 8.6+ natively
+            # supports PNG images.
+            icon_fname = str(cbook._get_data_path(
+                'images/matplotlib.png'))
+            icon_img = ImageTk.PhotoImage(file=icon_fname, master=window)
+
+            icon_fname_large = str(cbook._get_data_path(
+                'images/matplotlib_large.png'))
+            icon_img_large = ImageTk.PhotoImage(
+                file=icon_fname_large, master=window)
+            try:
+                window.iconphoto(False, icon_img_large, icon_img)
+            except Exception as exc:
+                # log the failure (due e.g. to Tk version), but carry on
+                _log.info('Could not load matplotlib icon: %s', exc)
+
+            canvas = canvas_class(figure, master=window)
+            manager = cls(canvas, num, window)
+            if mpl.is_interactive():
+                manager.show()
+                canvas.draw_idle()
+            return manager
+
     def _update_window_dpi(self, *args):
         newdpi = self._window_dpi.get()
         self.window.call('tk', 'scaling', newdpi / 72)
@@ -958,45 +996,6 @@ def trigger(self, *args):
 class _BackendTk(_Backend):
     FigureManager = FigureManagerTk
 
-    @classmethod
-    def new_figure_manager_given_figure(cls, num, figure):
-        """
-        Create a new figure manager instance for the given figure.
-        """
-        with _restore_foreground_window_at_end():
-            if cbook._get_running_interactive_framework() is None:
-                cbook._setup_new_guiapp()
-                _c_internal_utils.Win32_SetProcessDpiAwareness_max()
-            window = tk.Tk(className="matplotlib")
-            window.withdraw()
-
-            # Put a Matplotlib icon on the window rather than the default tk
-            # icon. See https://www.tcl.tk/man/tcl/TkCmd/wm.html#M50
-            #
-            # `ImageTk` can be replaced with `tk` whenever the minimum
-            # supported Tk version is increased to 8.6, as Tk 8.6+ natively
-            # supports PNG images.
-            icon_fname = str(cbook._get_data_path(
-                'images/matplotlib.png'))
-            icon_img = ImageTk.PhotoImage(file=icon_fname, master=window)
-
-            icon_fname_large = str(cbook._get_data_path(
-                'images/matplotlib_large.png'))
-            icon_img_large = ImageTk.PhotoImage(
-                file=icon_fname_large, master=window)
-            try:
-                window.iconphoto(False, icon_img_large, icon_img)
-            except Exception as exc:
-                # log the failure (due e.g. to Tk version), but carry on
-                _log.info('Could not load matplotlib icon: %s', exc)
-
-            canvas = cls.FigureCanvas(figure, master=window)
-            manager = cls.FigureManager(canvas, num, window)
-            if mpl.is_interactive():
-                manager.show()
-                canvas.draw_idle()
-            return manager
-
     @staticmethod
     def mainloop():
         managers = Gcf.get_all_fig_managers()
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_gtk3.py b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_gtk3.py
index 877fd800c821..ea32e9c3cba0 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_gtk3.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_gtk3.py
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@ def _mpl_to_gtk_cursor(mpl_cursor):
 class FigureCanvasGTK3(Gtk.DrawingArea, FigureCanvasBase):
     required_interactive_framework = "gtk3"
     _timer_cls = TimerGTK3
+    manager_class = _api.classproperty(lambda cls: FigureManagerGTK3)
     # Setting this as a static constant prevents
     # this resulting expression from leaking
     event_mask = (Gdk.EventMask.BUTTON_PRESS_MASK
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_gtk4.py b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_gtk4.py
index 63663834ec00..4cf6c0c8090e 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_gtk4.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_gtk4.py
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ class FigureCanvasGTK4(Gtk.DrawingArea, FigureCanvasBase):
     required_interactive_framework = "gtk4"
     supports_blit = False
     _timer_cls = TimerGTK4
+    manager_class = _api.classproperty(lambda cls: FigureManagerGTK4)
     _context_is_scaled = False
 
     def __init__(self, figure=None):
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_macosx.py b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_macosx.py
index 4700e28e48cc..1995e5985008 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_macosx.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_macosx.py
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import matplotlib as mpl
-from matplotlib import cbook
+from matplotlib import _api, cbook
 from matplotlib._pylab_helpers import Gcf
 from . import _macosx
 from .backend_agg import FigureCanvasAgg
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ class FigureCanvasMac(_macosx.FigureCanvas, FigureCanvasAgg):
 
     required_interactive_framework = "macosx"
     _timer_cls = TimerMac
+    manager_class = _api.classproperty(lambda cls: FigureManagerMac)
 
     def __init__(self, figure):
         FigureCanvasBase.__init__(self, figure)
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_nbagg.py b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_nbagg.py
index ec1430e60d1b..6c98f0fd9cf5 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_nbagg.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_nbagg.py
@@ -78,6 +78,21 @@ def __init__(self, canvas, num):
         self._shown = False
         super().__init__(canvas, num)
 
+    @classmethod
+    def create_with_canvas(cls, canvas_class, figure, num):
+        canvas = canvas_class(figure)
+        manager = cls(canvas, num)
+        if is_interactive():
+            manager.show()
+            canvas.draw_idle()
+
+        def destroy(event):
+            canvas.mpl_disconnect(cid)
+            Gcf.destroy(manager)
+
+        cid = canvas.mpl_connect('close_event', destroy)
+        return manager
+
     def display_js(self):
         # XXX How to do this just once? It has to deal with multiple
         # browser instances using the same kernel (require.js - but the
@@ -143,7 +158,7 @@ def remove_comm(self, comm_id):
 
 
 class FigureCanvasNbAgg(FigureCanvasWebAggCore):
-    pass
+    manager_class = FigureManagerNbAgg
 
 
 class CommSocket:
@@ -228,21 +243,6 @@ class _BackendNbAgg(_Backend):
     FigureCanvas = FigureCanvasNbAgg
     FigureManager = FigureManagerNbAgg
 
-    @staticmethod
-    def new_figure_manager_given_figure(num, figure):
-        canvas = FigureCanvasNbAgg(figure)
-        manager = FigureManagerNbAgg(canvas, num)
-        if is_interactive():
-            manager.show()
-            figure.canvas.draw_idle()
-
-        def destroy(event):
-            canvas.mpl_disconnect(cid)
-            Gcf.destroy(manager)
-
-        cid = canvas.mpl_connect('close_event', destroy)
-        return manager
-
     @staticmethod
     def show(block=None):
         ## TODO: something to do when keyword block==False ?
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_qt.py b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_qt.py
index 27945af8a342..2340cbf66c3d 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_qt.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_qt.py
@@ -232,6 +232,7 @@ def _timer_stop(self):
 class FigureCanvasQT(QtWidgets.QWidget, FigureCanvasBase):
     required_interactive_framework = "qt"
     _timer_cls = TimerQT
+    manager_class = _api.classproperty(lambda cls: FigureManagerQT)
 
     buttond = {
         getattr(_enum("QtCore.Qt.MouseButton"), k): v for k, v in [
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_template.py b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_template.py
index 9a25371465af..ebb9b413f5c0 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_template.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_template.py
@@ -174,6 +174,14 @@ def new_figure_manager_given_figure(num, figure):
     return manager
 
 
+class FigureManagerTemplate(FigureManagerBase):
+    """
+    Helper class for pyplot mode, wraps everything up into a neat bundle.
+
+    For non-interactive backends, the base class is sufficient.
+    """
+
+
 class FigureCanvasTemplate(FigureCanvasBase):
     """
     The canvas the figure renders into.  Calls the draw and print fig
@@ -191,6 +199,8 @@ class methods button_press_event, button_release_event,
         A high-level Figure instance
     """
 
+    manager_class = FigureManagerTemplate
+
     def draw(self):
         """
         Draw the figure using the renderer.
@@ -227,14 +237,6 @@ def get_default_filetype(self):
         return 'foo'
 
 
-class FigureManagerTemplate(FigureManagerBase):
-    """
-    Helper class for pyplot mode, wraps everything up into a neat bundle.
-
-    For non-interactive backends, the base class is sufficient.
-    """
-
-
 ########################################################################
 #
 # Now just provide the standard names that backend.__init__ is expecting
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_webagg.py b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_webagg.py
index a78e86c25af8..9e1e4925496f 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_webagg.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_webagg.py
@@ -48,14 +48,14 @@ def run(self):
 webagg_server_thread = ServerThread()
 
 
-class FigureCanvasWebAgg(core.FigureCanvasWebAggCore):
-    pass
-
-
 class FigureManagerWebAgg(core.FigureManagerWebAgg):
     _toolbar2_class = core.NavigationToolbar2WebAgg
 
 
+class FigureCanvasWebAgg(core.FigureCanvasWebAggCore):
+    manager_class = FigureManagerWebAgg
+
+
 class WebAggApplication(tornado.web.Application):
     initialized = False
     started = False
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_wx.py b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_wx.py
index 37177cf6f60e..3eaf59e3f502 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_wx.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_wx.py
@@ -63,6 +63,15 @@ def error_msg_wx(msg, parent=None):
     return None
 
 
+# lru_cache holds a reference to the App and prevents it from being gc'ed.
+@functools.lru_cache(1)
+def _create_wxapp():
+    wxapp = wx.App(False)
+    wxapp.SetExitOnFrameDelete(True)
+    cbook._setup_new_guiapp()
+    return wxapp
+
+
 class TimerWx(TimerBase):
     """Subclass of `.TimerBase` using wx.Timer events."""
 
@@ -418,6 +427,7 @@ class _FigureCanvasWxBase(FigureCanvasBase, wx.Panel):
 
     required_interactive_framework = "wx"
     _timer_cls = TimerWx
+    manager_class = _api.classproperty(lambda cls: FigureManagerWx)
 
     keyvald = {
         wx.WXK_CONTROL: 'control',
@@ -970,6 +980,17 @@ def __init__(self, canvas, num, frame):
         self.frame = self.window = frame
         super().__init__(canvas, num)
 
+    @classmethod
+    def create_with_canvas(cls, canvas_class, figure, num):
+        # docstring inherited
+        wxapp = wx.GetApp() or _create_wxapp()
+        frame = FigureFrameWx(num, figure, canvas_class=canvas_class)
+        manager = figure.canvas.manager
+        if mpl.is_interactive():
+            manager.frame.Show()
+            figure.canvas.draw_idle()
+        return manager
+
     def show(self):
         # docstring inherited
         self.frame.Show()
@@ -1344,24 +1365,6 @@ class _BackendWx(_Backend):
     FigureCanvas = FigureCanvasWx
     FigureManager = FigureManagerWx
 
-    @classmethod
-    def new_figure_manager_given_figure(cls, num, figure):
-        # Create a wx.App instance if it has not been created so far.
-        wxapp = wx.GetApp()
-        if wxapp is None:
-            wxapp = wx.App()
-            wxapp.SetExitOnFrameDelete(True)
-            cbook._setup_new_guiapp()
-            # Retain a reference to the app object so that it does not get
-            # garbage collected.
-            _BackendWx._theWxApp = wxapp
-        # Attaches figure.canvas, figure.canvas.manager.
-        frame = FigureFrameWx(num, figure, canvas_class=cls.FigureCanvas)
-        if mpl.is_interactive():
-            frame.Show()
-            figure.canvas.draw_idle()
-        return figure.canvas.manager
-
     @staticmethod
     def mainloop():
         if not wx.App.IsMainLoopRunning():