diff --git a/doc/users/next_whats_new/2017-11-12_reset_rcparams_in_clf.rst b/doc/users/next_whats_new/2017-11-12_reset_rcparams_in_clf.rst
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..9e6b3119d08f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/users/next_whats_new/2017-11-12_reset_rcparams_in_clf.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+rcParams can be reset in clf
+----------------------------
+
+``figure.clf()`` can take an optional argument ``reset_rcparams``. If set to ``True``,
+unset figure properties will be set to the values specified in rcParams.
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/figure.py b/lib/matplotlib/figure.py
index eb13d2e5f6dd..247724f94426 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/figure.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/figure.py
@@ -336,6 +336,7 @@ def __init__(self,
             raise ValueError('figure size must be finite not '
                              '{}'.format(figsize))
         self.bbox_inches = Bbox.from_bounds(0, 0, *figsize)
+        self._figsize = figsize
 
         self.dpi_scale_trans = Affine2D().scale(dpi, dpi)
         # do not use property as it will trigger
@@ -351,6 +352,8 @@ def __init__(self,
             facecolor=facecolor, edgecolor=edgecolor, linewidth=linewidth)
         self._set_artist_props(self.patch)
         self.patch.set_aa(False)
+        self._facecolor = facecolor
+        self._edgecolor = edgecolor
 
         self._hold = rcParams['axes.hold']
         if self._hold is None:
@@ -364,6 +367,7 @@ def __init__(self,
 
         self.subplotpars = subplotpars
         self.set_tight_layout(tight_layout)
+        self._tight = tight_layout
 
         self._axstack = AxesStack()  # track all figure axes and current axes
         self.clf()
@@ -1226,12 +1230,18 @@ def _break_share_link(ax, grouper):
         if last_ax is not None:
             _reset_loc_form(last_ax.xaxis)
 
-    def clf(self, keep_observers=False):
+    def clf(self, keep_observers=False, reset_rcparams=False):
         """
         Clear the figure.
 
-        Set *keep_observers* to True if, for example,
-        a gui widget is tracking the axes in the figure.
+        Parameters
+        ----------
+        keep_observers : bool, optional
+            Set *keep_observers* to True if, for example,
+            a gui widget is tracking the axes in the figure.
+        reset_rcparams : bool, optional
+            Set *reset_rcparams* to True to reset figure
+            parameters to rcParams values.
         """
         self.suppressComposite = None
         self.callbacks = cbook.CallbackRegistry()
@@ -1252,14 +1262,33 @@ def clf(self, keep_observers=False):
         self.legends = []
         if not keep_observers:
             self._axobservers = []
+        if reset_rcparams:
+            if self._figsize is None:
+                self._figsize = rcParams['figure.figsize']
+            if self._dpi is None:
+                self._dpi = rcParams['figure.dpi']
+            if self._facecolor is None:
+                self._facecolor = rcParams['figure.facecolor']
+            if self._edgecolor is None:
+                self._edgecolor = rcParams['figure.edgecolor']
+            if self.frameon is None:
+                self.frameon = rcParams['figure.frameon']
+            self.bbox_inches = Bbox.from_bounds(0, 0, *self._figsize)
+            self.dpi_scale_trans = Affine2D().scale(self._dpi, self._dpi)
+            self.bbox = TransformedBbox(self.bbox_inches, self.dpi_scale_trans)
+            self.transFigure = BboxTransformTo(self.bbox)
+            self.set_facecolor(self._facecolor)
+            self.set_edgecolor(self._edgecolor)
+            self.subplotpars.update()
+            self.set_tight_layout(self._tight)
         self._suptitle = None
         self.stale = True
 
-    def clear(self, keep_observers=False):
+    def clear(self, keep_observers=False, reset_rcparams=False):
         """
         Clear the figure -- synonym for :meth:`clf`.
         """
-        self.clf(keep_observers=keep_observers)
+        self.clf(keep_observers=keep_observers, reset_rcparams=reset_rcparams)
 
     @allow_rasterization
     def draw(self, renderer):
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_figure.py b/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_figure.py
index 6aec2d81a68f..7fd0f9190611 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_figure.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_figure.py
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 from matplotlib.axes import Axes
 from matplotlib.ticker import AutoMinorLocator, FixedFormatter
 import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
+import matplotlib.colors as colors
 import matplotlib.dates as mdates
 import numpy as np
 import warnings
@@ -68,6 +69,40 @@ def test_clf_keyword():
     assert [t.get_text() for t in fig2.texts] == []
 
 
+def test_reset_rcparams():
+    # test whether clf resets unset figure properties to rcParams values
+    fig0 = plt.figure()
+    fig0._figsize = None
+    fig0._dpi = None
+    fig0._facecolor = None
+    fig0._edgecolor = None
+    fig0.frameon = None
+    fig0.clf(reset_rcparams=True)
+    assert fig0.get_figwidth() == rcParams['figure.figsize'][0]
+    assert fig0.get_figheight() == rcParams['figure.figsize'][1]
+    assert fig0.get_dpi() == rcParams['figure.dpi']
+    assert fig0.get_facecolor() == colors.to_rgba(rcParams['figure.facecolor'])
+    assert fig0.get_edgecolor() == colors.to_rgba(rcParams['figure.edgecolor'])
+    assert fig0.get_frameon() == rcParams['figure.frameon']
+
+    # set figure properties should not be reset to rcParams
+    fig1 = plt.figure()
+    fig1._figsize = (11, 13)
+    fig1._figsize
+    fig1._dpi = 251
+    fig1._facecolor = 'red'
+    fig1._edgecolor = 'blue'
+    fig1.clf(reset_rcparams=True)
+    fig1._figsize
+    assert not fig1.get_figwidth() == rcParams['figure.figsize'][0]
+    assert not fig1.get_figheight() == rcParams['figure.figsize'][1]
+    assert not fig1.get_dpi() == rcParams['figure.dpi']
+    assert not fig1.get_facecolor() == colors.to_rgba(
+        rcParams['figure.facecolor'])
+    assert not fig1.get_edgecolor() == colors.to_rgba(
+        rcParams['figure.edgecolor'])
+
+
 @image_comparison(baseline_images=['figure_today'])
 def test_figure():
     # named figure support