@@ -70,12 +70,9 @@ def draw_wrapper(artist, renderer, *args, **kwargs):
     return draw_wrapper
 
 
-def _stale_figure_callback(self):
-    self.figure.stale = True
-
-
-def _stale_axes_callback(self):
-    self.axes.stale = True
+def _stale_axes_callback(self, val):
+    if self.axes:
+        self.axes.stale = val
 
 
 class Artist(PrivateMethodMixin, Configurable):
@@ -104,9 +101,14 @@ def _transform_getter(self, value, trait):
 
     stale = Bool(True)
 
-    def _stale_changed(self):
-        if self.stale:
-            self.pchanged()
+    def _stale_validate(self, value, trait):
+        if self.get_animated():
+            return self.stale
+        return value
+
+    def _stale_changed(self, name, new):
+        if new and self.stale_callback is not None:
+            self.stale_callback(self, new)
 
     transform_set = Bool(False)
 
@@ -117,15 +119,17 @@ def _axes_changed(self, name, old, new):
                              "in more than one Axes which is not "
                              "supported")
         if new not in (Undefined,None) and new is not self:
-            self.add_callback(_stale_axes_callback)
+            self.stale_callback = _stale_axes_callback
 
     axes = Instance(str('matplotlib.axes.Axes'), allow_none=True)
 
     figure = Instance(str('matplotlib.figure.Figure'), allow_none=True)
 
-    def _figure_changed(self, name, new):
+    def _figure_changed(self, name, old, new):
+        if old not in (None, Undefined):
+            raise RuntimeError("Can not put single artist in "
+                               "more than one figure")
         if new and new is not self:
-            self.add_callback(_stale_figure_callback)
             self.pchanged()
         self.stale = True
 
@@ -136,6 +140,7 @@ def __init__(self):
 
         # self._transform = None
         # self._transformSet = False
+        self.stale_callback = None
         self._visible = True
         self._animated = False
         self._alpha = None
@@ -168,6 +173,9 @@ def __getstate__(self):
         # remove the unpicklable remove method, this will get re-added on load
         # (by the axes) if the artist lives on an axes.
         d['_remove_method'] = None
+        d['stale_callback'] = None
+        # .private(name, value) forces _notify_trait into __dict__
+        d.pop('_notify_trait', None)
         return d
 
     def remove(self):
 
@@ -506,11 +506,11 @@ def _init_axis(self):
         self.spines['right'].register_axis(self.yaxis)
         self._update_transScale()
 
-    def _figure_changed(self, name, fig):
-        martist.Artist._figure_changed(self, name, fig)
+    def _figure_changed(self, name, old, new):
+        martist.Artist._figure_changed(self, name, old, new)
 
         self.bbox = mtransforms.TransformedBbox(self._position,
-                                                fig.transFigure)
+                                                new.transFigure)
         # these will be updated later as data is added
         self.dataLim = mtransforms.Bbox.null()
         self.viewLim = mtransforms.Bbox.unit()
 
@@ -178,15 +178,15 @@ def __setstate__(self, state):
             self._offset = self._offset.get_instancemethod()
         self.stale = True
 
-    def _figure_changed(self, name, fig):
+    def _figure_changed(self, name, old, new):
         """
         Set the figure
 
         accepts a class:`~matplotlib.figure.Figure` instance
         """
-        martist.Artist._figure_changed(self, name, fig)
+        martist.Artist._figure_changed(self, name, old, new)
         for c in self.get_children():
-            c.figure = fig
+            c.figure = new
 
     #!DEPRICATED
     # def set_figure(self, fig):
@@ -204,7 +204,7 @@ def _axes_changed(self, name, old, new):
         martist.Artist._axes_changed(self, name, old, new)
         for c in self.get_children():
             if c is not None:
-                c.axes = ax
+                c.axes = new
 
     def contains(self, mouseevent):
         for c in self.get_children():
@@ -694,9 +694,7 @@ def get_extent(self, renderer):
     def add_artist(self, a):
         'Add any :class:`~matplotlib.artist.Artist` to the container box'
         self._children.append(a)
-        if not a.transform_set):
         if not a.transform_set:
-        if not a.is_transform_set():
             a.transform = self.transform
         if self.axes is not None:
             a.axes = self.axes
@@ -1510,11 +1508,11 @@ def get_children(self):
             children.append(self.arrow_patch)
         return children
 
-    def _figure_changed(self, name, fig):
+    def _figure_changed(self, name, old, new):
         if self.arrow_patch is not None:
-            self.arrow_patch.figure = fig
-        self.offsetbox.figure = fig
-        martist.Artist._figure_changed(self, name, fig)
+            self.arrow_patch.figure = new
+        self.offsetbox.figure = new
+        martist.Artist._figure_changed(self, name, old, new)
 
     #!DEPRICATED
     # def set_figure(self, fig):
 
@@ -350,9 +350,9 @@ def _set_transform(self):
         else:
             raise ValueError('unrecognized coordinates')
 
-    def _figure_changed(self, name, fig):
-        martist.Artist._figure_changed(self, name, fig)
-        self.text.figure = fig
+    def _figure_changed(self, name, old, new):
+        martist.Artist._figure_changed(self, name, old, new)
+        self.text.figure = new
 
     def contains(self, mouseevent):
         # Maybe the dictionary should allow one to
 
@@ -76,9 +76,9 @@ def _transform_set(self):
     #     # the text does not get the transform!
     #     self.stale = True
 
-    def _figure_changed(self, name, fig):
-        Rectangle._figure_changed(self, name, fig)
-        self._text.figure = fig
+    def _figure_changed(self, name, old, new):
+        Rectangle._figure_changed(self, name, old, new)
+        self._text.figure = new
 
     #!DEPRICATED
     # def set_figure(self, fig):
 
@@ -1634,9 +1634,9 @@ def _transform_changed(self, name, new):
     #     'return the figure instance the artist belongs to'
     #     return self.figure
 
-    def _figure_changed(self, name, fig):
-        Text._figure_changed(self, name, fig)
-        self.dashline.figure = fig
+    def _figure_changed(self, name, old, new):
+        Text._figure_changed(self, name, old, new)
+        self.dashline.figure = new
 
     #!DEPRICATED
     # def set_figure(self, fig):
@@ -2102,12 +2102,12 @@ def anncoords(self):
     def anncoords(self, coords):
         self._textcoords = coords
 
-    def _figure_changed(self, name, fig):
+    def _figure_changed(self, name, old, new):
         if self.arrow is not None:
-            self.arrow.figure = fig
+            self.arrow.figure = new
         if self.arrow_patch is not None:
-            self.arrow_patch.figure = fig
-        Artist._figure_changed(self, name, fig)
+            self.arrow_patch.figure = new
+        Artist._figure_changed(self, name, old, new)
 
     #!DEPRICATED
     # def set_figure(self, fig):