Pip install Matplotlib error with virtualenv

Question

I am trying to install matplotlib in a new virtualenv.

When I do:

pip install matplotlib

or

pip install http://so         


        

Answer 1

As I have struggled with this issue twice (even after fresh kubuntu 15.04 install) and installing freetype did not solve anything, I investigated further.

The solution:
From github issue:

This bug only occurs if pkg-config is not installed;
a simple
sudo apt-get install pkg-config
will shore up the include paths for now.

After this installation proceeds smoothly.