ellipse_demo.py from http://matplotlib.org/examples/pylab_examples/ellipse_demo.html

ellipse_demo.py

import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
import numpy.random as rnd
from matplotlib.patches import Ellipse

NUM = 250

ells = [Ellipse(xy=rnd.rand(2)*10, width=rnd.rand(), height=rnd.rand(), angle=rnd.rand()*360)
        for i in range(NUM)]

fig = plt.figure(0)
ax = fig.add_subplot(111, aspect='equal')
for e in ells:
    ax.add_artist(e)
    e.set_clip_box(ax.bbox)
    e.set_alpha(rnd.rand())
    e.set_facecolor(rnd.rand(3))

ax.set_xlim(0, 10)
ax.set_ylim(0, 10)

plt.show()