diff --git a/doc/api/next_api_changes/behavior/20077-TH.rst b/doc/api/next_api_changes/behavior/20077-TH.rst
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..63dac85d795b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/api/next_api_changes/behavior/20077-TH.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+``Artist.set`` applies artist properties in the order in which they are given
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+The change only affects the interaction between the *color*, *edgecolor*,
+*facecolor*, and, for `.Collection`\s, *alpha* properties: the *color* property
+now needs to be passed first in order not to override the other properties.
+This is consistent with e.g. `.Artist.update`, which did not reorder the
+properties passed to it.
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/artist.py b/lib/matplotlib/artist.py
index 406e9db5ae54..b7f8e42d081a 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/artist.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/artist.py
@@ -1152,30 +1152,6 @@ def properties(self):
     def set(self, **kwargs):
         """A property batch setter.  Pass *kwargs* to set properties."""
         kwargs = cbook.normalize_kwargs(kwargs, self)
-        move_color_to_start = False
-        if "color" in kwargs:
-            keys = [*kwargs]
-            i_color = keys.index("color")
-            props = ["edgecolor", "facecolor"]
-            if any(tp.__module__ == "matplotlib.collections"
-                   and tp.__name__ == "Collection"
-                   for tp in type(self).__mro__):
-                props.append("alpha")
-            for other in props:
-                if other not in keys:
-                    continue
-                i_other = keys.index(other)
-                if i_other < i_color:
-                    move_color_to_start = True
-                    _api.warn_deprecated(
-                        "3.3", message=f"You have passed the {other!r} kwarg "
-                        "before the 'color' kwarg.  Artist.set() currently "
-                        "reorders the properties to apply 'color' first, but "
-                        "this is deprecated since %(since)s and will be "
-                        "removed %(removal)s; please pass 'color' first "
-                        "instead.")
-        if move_color_to_start:
-            kwargs = {"color": kwargs.pop("color"), **kwargs}
         return self.update(kwargs)
 
     def findobj(self, match=None, include_self=True):