import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
from mpl_toolkits.axes_grid.axislines import SubplotZero
import numpy as np

fig = plt.figure(1, (4,3))

# a subplot with two additiona axis, "xzero" and "yzero". "xzero" is
# y=0 line, and "yzero" is x=0 line.
ax = SubplotZero(fig, 1, 1, 1)
fig.add_subplot(ax)

# make xzero axis (horizontal axis line through y=0) visible.
ax.axis["xzero"].set_visible(True)
ax.axis["xzero"].label.set_text("Axis Zero")

# make other axis (bottom, top, right) invisible.
for n in ["bottom", "top", "right"]:
    ax.axis[n].set_visible(False)

xx = np.arange(0, 2*np.pi, 0.01)
ax.plot(xx, np.sin(xx))

plt.show()