gistfile1.py

import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
import cPickle as pickle

def main():
    fig, ax = plt.subplots()
    ax.plot(range(10))
    ax.bar(range(10), range(10))

    fig2 = copy_figure(fig)
    fig2.axes[0].plot(range(10)[::-1], color='red')
    plt.show()

def copy_figure(fig):
    return pickle.loads(pickle.dumps(fig, pickle.HIGHEST_PROTOCOL))


main()