Subplot four-pack under another subplot the size of the four-pack

Question

I want to make a matplotlib figure that has two components:

1. A 2x2 "four pack" of subplots in the lower half of the figure

2. A subplot above the four pack that is the size of the four pack.

I have seen this answer where subplots can have different dimensions. How can that approach be tweaked when there are multiple columns and rows, however? Or is a completely different approach warranted?

My final figure should be arranged something like this:

If there is a straightforward way to have a left-right oritentation, shown below, that would be helpful, too.

Answer 1

You can use plt.subplot_mosaic or GridSpec. Someone else can write an answer using GridSpec, but here is how you'd do it using subplot_mosaic.

For the large plot on top and 4 below it:

import matplotlib.pyplot as plt

fig, axs_dict = plt.subplot_mosaic("AA;AA;BC;DE")

If you want to put the large plot on the left and the four smaller on the right then just using this string: "AABC;AADE".