import matplotlib.gridspec as gridspec
import matplotlib.pyplot as pl
pl.figure(figsize=(6, 4))
G = gridspec.GridSpec(3, 3)
axes_1 = pl.subplot(G[0, :])
pl.xticks(())
pl.yticks(())
pl.text(0.5, 0.5, 'Axes 1', ha='center', va='center', size=24, alpha=.5)
axes_2 = pl.subplot(G[1, :-1])
pl.xticks(())
pl.yticks(())
pl.text(0.5, 0.5, 'Axes 2', ha='center', va='center', size=24, alpha=.5)