diff --git a/examples/shapes_and_collections/artist_reference.py b/examples/shapes_and_collections/artist_reference.py
index 054c1f1e088a..4ab6d67c0542 100644
--- a/examples/shapes_and_collections/artist_reference.py
+++ b/examples/shapes_and_collections/artist_reference.py
@@ -3,66 +3,25 @@
 Reference for Matplotlib artists
 ================================
 
-This example displays several of Matplotlib's graphics primitives (artists)
-drawn using matplotlib API. A full list of artists and the documentation is
-available at :ref:`the artist API <artist-api>`.
+This example displays several of Matplotlib's graphics primitives (artists).
+A full list of artists is documented at :ref:`the artist API <artist-api>`.
+
+See also :doc:`/gallery/shapes_and_collections/patch_collection`, which groups
+all artists into a single `.PatchCollection` instead.
 
 Copyright (c) 2010, Bartosz Telenczuk
 BSD License
 """
-import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
-import numpy as np
-import matplotlib.path as mpath
+
+import matplotlib as mpl
 import matplotlib.lines as mlines
 import matplotlib.patches as mpatches
-from matplotlib.collections import PatchCollection
-
-
-def label(xy, text):
-    y = xy[1] - 0.15  # shift y-value for label so that it's below the artist
-    plt.text(xy[0], y, text, ha="center", family='sans-serif', size=14)
-
-
-fig, ax = plt.subplots()
-# create 3x3 grid to plot the artists
-grid = np.mgrid[0.2:0.8:3j, 0.2:0.8:3j].reshape(2, -1).T
-
-patches = []
-
-# add a circle
-circle = mpatches.Circle(grid[0], 0.1, ec="none")
-patches.append(circle)
-label(grid[0], "Circle")
-
-# add a rectangle
-rect = mpatches.Rectangle(grid[1] - [0.025, 0.05], 0.05, 0.1, ec="none")
-patches.append(rect)
-label(grid[1], "Rectangle")
-
-# add a wedge
-wedge = mpatches.Wedge(grid[2], 0.1, 30, 270, ec="none")
-patches.append(wedge)
-label(grid[2], "Wedge")
-
-# add a Polygon
-polygon = mpatches.RegularPolygon(grid[3], 5, radius=0.1)
-patches.append(polygon)
-label(grid[3], "Polygon")
-
-# add an ellipse
-ellipse = mpatches.Ellipse(grid[4], 0.2, 0.1)
-patches.append(ellipse)
-label(grid[4], "Ellipse")
-
-# add an arrow
-arrow = mpatches.Arrow(grid[5, 0] - 0.05, grid[5, 1] - 0.05, 0.1, 0.1,
-                       width=0.1)
-patches.append(arrow)
-label(grid[5], "Arrow")
+import matplotlib.path as mpath
+import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
 
-# add a path patch
+# Prepare the data for the PathPatch below.
 Path = mpath.Path
-path_data = [
+codes, verts = zip(*[
     (Path.MOVETO, [0.018, -0.11]),
     (Path.CURVE4, [-0.031, -0.051]),
     (Path.CURVE4, [-0.115, 0.073]),
@@ -71,35 +30,28 @@ def label(xy, text):
     (Path.CURVE4, [0.043, 0.121]),
     (Path.CURVE4, [0.075, -0.005]),
     (Path.CURVE4, [0.035, -0.027]),
-    (Path.CLOSEPOLY, [0.018, -0.11])]
-codes, verts = zip(*path_data)
-path = mpath.Path(verts + grid[6], codes)
-patch = mpatches.PathPatch(path)
-patches.append(patch)
-label(grid[6], "PathPatch")
-
-# add a fancy box
-fancybox = mpatches.FancyBboxPatch(
-    grid[7] - [0.025, 0.05], 0.05, 0.1,
-    boxstyle=mpatches.BoxStyle("Round", pad=0.02))
-patches.append(fancybox)
-label(grid[7], "FancyBboxPatch")
-
-# add a line
-x, y = ([-0.06, 0.0, 0.1], [0.05, -0.05, 0.05])
-line = mlines.Line2D(x + grid[8, 0], y + grid[8, 1], lw=5., alpha=0.3)
-label(grid[8], "Line2D")
-
-colors = np.linspace(0, 1, len(patches))
-collection = PatchCollection(patches, cmap=plt.cm.hsv, alpha=0.3)
-collection.set_array(colors)
-ax.add_collection(collection)
-ax.add_line(line)
-
-plt.axis('equal')
-plt.axis('off')
-plt.tight_layout()
-
+    (Path.CLOSEPOLY, [0.018, -0.11])])
+
+artists = [
+    mpatches.Circle((0, 0), 0.1, ec="none"),
+    mpatches.Rectangle((-0.025, -0.05), 0.05, 0.1, ec="none"),
+    mpatches.Wedge((0, 0), 0.1, 30, 270, ec="none"),
+    mpatches.RegularPolygon((0, 0), 5, radius=0.1),
+    mpatches.Ellipse((0, 0), 0.2, 0.1),
+    mpatches.Arrow(-0.05, -0.05, 0.1, 0.1, width=0.1),
+    mpatches.PathPatch(mpath.Path(verts, codes), ec="none"),
+    mpatches.FancyBboxPatch((-0.025, -0.05), 0.05, 0.1, ec="none",
+                            boxstyle=mpatches.BoxStyle("Round", pad=0.02)),
+    mlines.Line2D([-0.06, 0.0, 0.1], [0.05, -0.05, 0.05], lw=5),
+]
+
+axs = plt.figure(figsize=(6, 6), layout="constrained").subplots(3, 3)
+for i, (ax, artist) in enumerate(zip(axs.flat, artists)):
+    artist.set(color=mpl.colormaps["hsv"](i / len(artists)))
+    ax.add_artist(artist)
+    ax.set(title=type(artist).__name__,
+           aspect=1, xlim=(-.2, .2), ylim=(-.2, .2))
+    ax.set_axis_off()
 plt.show()
 
 #############################################################################
@@ -122,8 +74,4 @@ def label(xy, text):
 #    - `matplotlib.patches.PathPatch`
 #    - `matplotlib.patches.FancyBboxPatch`
 #    - `matplotlib.patches.RegularPolygon`
-#    - `matplotlib.collections`
-#    - `matplotlib.collections.PatchCollection`
-#    - `matplotlib.cm.ScalarMappable.set_array`
-#    - `matplotlib.axes.Axes.add_collection`
-#    - `matplotlib.axes.Axes.add_line`
+#    - `matplotlib.axes.Axes.add_artist`
diff --git a/examples/shapes_and_collections/patch_collection.py b/examples/shapes_and_collections/patch_collection.py
index cdd9f4687619..98533c451cd1 100644
--- a/examples/shapes_and_collections/patch_collection.py
+++ b/examples/shapes_and_collections/patch_collection.py
@@ -4,6 +4,9 @@
 ============================
 
 This example demonstrates how to use `.collections.PatchCollection`.
+
+See also :doc:`/gallery/shapes_and_collections/artist_reference`, which instead
+adds each artist separately to its own axes.
 """
 
 import numpy as np

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