pip install matplotlib==1.5.1
Collecting matplotlib==1.5.1
 
    Complete output from command python setup.py egg_info:
    ============================================================================
    Edit setup.cfg to change the build options

    BUILDING MATPLOTLIB
                matplotlib: yes [1.5.1]
                    python: yes [2.7.5 (default,Sep 15 2016,22:37:39)  [GCC
                            4.8.5 20150623 (Red Hat 4.8.5-4)]]
                  platform: yes [linux2]

    required DEPENDENCIES AND EXTENSIONS
                     numpy: yes [not found. pip may install it below.]
                  dateutil: yes [dateutil was not found. It is required for date
                            axis support. pip/easy_install may attempt to
                            install it after matplotlib.]
                      pytz: yes [pytz was not found. pip will attempt to install
                            it after matplotlib.]
                    cycler: yes [cycler was not found. pip will attempt to
                            install it after matplotlib.]
                   tornado: yes [using tornado version 4.4.2]
                 pyparsing: yes [using pyparsing version 2.1.10]
                    libagg: yes [pkg-config information for 'libagg' could not
                            be found. Using local copy.]
                  freetype: no  [The C/C++ header for freetype2 (ft2build.h)
                            could not be found.  You may need to install the
                            development package.]
                       png: no  [pkg-config information for 'libpng' could not
                            be found.]
                     qhull: yes [pkg-config information for 'qhull' could not be
                            found. Using local copy.]

    OPTIONAL SUBPACKAGES
               sample_data: yes [installing]
                  toolkits: yes [installing]
                     tests: yes [nose 0.11.1 or later is required to run the
                            matplotlib test suite. Please install it with pip or
                            your preferred tool to run the test suite / mock is
                            required to run the matplotlib test suite. Please
                            install it with pip or your preferred tool to run
                            the test suite]
            toolkits_tests: yes [nose 0.11.1 or later is required to run the
                            matplotlib test suite. Please install it with pip or
                            your preferred tool to run the test suite / mock is
                            required to run the matplotlib test suite. Please
                            install it with pip or your preferred tool to run
                            the test suite]

    OPTIONAL BACKEND EXTENSIONS
                    macosx: no  [Mac OS-X only]
                    qt5agg: no  [PyQt5 not found]
                    qt4agg: no  [PySide not found; PyQt4 not found]
                   gtk3agg: no  [Requires gtk3 development files to be
                            installed.]
                 gtk3cairo: no  [Requires cairocffi or pycairo to be installed.]
                    gtkagg: no  [Requires pygtk]
                     tkagg: no  [TKAgg requires Tkinter.]
                     wxagg: no  [requires wxPython]
                       gtk: no  [Requires pygtk]
                       agg: yes [installing]
                     cairo: no  [cairocffi or pycairo not found]
                 windowing: no  [Microsoft Windows only]

    OPTIONAL LATEX DEPENDENCIES
                    dvipng: no
               ghostscript: no
                     latex: no
                   pdftops: no

    OPTIONAL PACKAGE DATA
                      dlls: no  [skipping due to configuration]

    ============================================================================
                            * The following required packages can not be built:
                            * freetype,png

    ----------------------------------------
Command "python setup.py egg_info" Failed with error code 1 in /tmp/pip-build-SL2bnh/matplotlib/

解决办法

sudo yum install freetype-devel
sudo yum install libpng-devel