• Install python 2.6 from ​http://www.python.org/download/releases/

• Run the deps.py script found at the top of the trunk branch in 32-bit mode:
  

arch -i386 python2.6 deps.py

• Get the matplotlib code from here: ​https://sourceforge.net/projects/matplotlib/files/matplotlib/matplotlib-1.1.0/
  

• Modify the make.osx file so that it has the correct OSX version at the top:
  

  MACOSX_DEPLOYMENT_TARGET=10.7
  OSX_SDK_VER=10.7
  

• Build matplotlib:
  

  make -f make.osx PREFIX=$HOME/.local PYVERSION=2.6 fetch deps mpl_install