matplotlib · dberardi99 · Oct 12, 2024
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/axes/_base.py b/lib/matplotlib/axes/_base.py
@@ -1262,7 +1262,7 @@ def sharey(self, other):
         self.set_ylim(y0, y1, emit=False, auto=other.get_autoscaley_on())
         self.yaxis._scale = other.yaxis._scale
 
-    def __clear(self):
+    def __clear(self, **kwargs):
         """Clear the Axes."""
         # The actual implementation of clear() as long as clear() has to be
         # an adapter delegating to the correct implementation.
@@ -1279,7 +1279,7 @@ def __clear(self):
         yaxis_visible = self.yaxis.get_visible()
 
         for axis in self._axis_map.values():
-            axis.clear()  # Also resets the scale to linear.
+            axis.clear(**kwargs)  # Also resets the scale to linear.
         for spine in self.spines.values():
             spine._clear()  # Use _clear to not clear Axis again
 
@@ -1389,23 +1389,23 @@ def __clear(self):
 
         self.stale = True
 
-    def clear(self):
+    def clear(self, **kwargs):
         """Clear the Axes."""
         # Act as an alias, or as the superclass implementation depending on the
         # subclass implementation.
         if self._subclass_uses_cla:
-            self.cla()
+            self.cla(**kwargs)
         else:
-            self.__clear()
+            self.__clear(**kwargs)
 
-    def cla(self):
+    def cla(self, **kwargs):
         """Clear the Axes."""
         # Act as an alias, or as the superclass implementation depending on the
         # subclass implementation.
         if self._subclass_uses_cla:
-            self.__clear()
+            self.__clear(**kwargs)
         else:
-            self.clear()
+            self.clear(**kwargs)
 
     class ArtistList(Sequence):
         """

diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/axis.py b/lib/matplotlib/axis.py
@@ -848,7 +848,7 @@
                 mpl.rcParams['axes.grid'] and
                 mpl.rcParams['axes.grid.which'] in ('both', 'minor'))
 
-    def clear(self):
+    def clear(self, **kwargs):
         """
         Clear the axis.
 
@@ -860,17 +860,35 @@
         - major and minor grid
         - units
         - registered callbacks
-        """
-        self.label._reset_visual_defaults()
-        # The above resets the label formatting using text rcParams,
-        # so we then update the formatting using axes rcParams
-        self.label.set_color(mpl.rcParams['axes.labelcolor'])
-        self.label.set_fontsize(mpl.rcParams['axes.labelsize'])
-        self.label.set_fontweight(mpl.rcParams['axes.labelweight'])
-        self.offsetText._reset_visual_defaults()
-        self.labelpad = mpl.rcParams['axes.labelpad']
 
-        self._init()
+        If no *kwargs* are passed *'reset'* is set by default to *False*.
+
+        When *'reset'* is set to *False*, part of the formatting of the axis
+        (labels and relative properties) is left unchanged. Thus, a "soft"
+        clear is executed in this case.
+        """
+        if len(kwargs) > 1:
+            _log.debug(
+                "Method 'clear' can accept only one argument")
+        if 'reset' in kwargs:
+            reset = kwargs.pop('reset')
+        else:
+            reset = False  # Default
+        if type(reset) is not bool:
+            reset = False  # Default
+            _log.debug(
+                "kwarg 'reset' must be a bool. It will be set to False")
+        if reset:
+            self.label._reset_visual_defaults()
+            # The above resets the label formatting using text rcParams,
+            # so we then update the formatting using axes rcParams
+            self.label.set_color(mpl.rcParams['axes.labelcolor'])
+            self.label.set_fontsize(mpl.rcParams['axes.labelsize'])
+            self.label.set_fontweight(mpl.rcParams['axes.labelweight'])
+            self.offsetText._reset_visual_defaults()
+            self.labelpad = mpl.rcParams['axes.labelpad']
+
+            self._init()
 
         self._set_scale('linear')