Issue 1:
Bug summary

from matplotlib._path import (
ImportError: DLL load failed while importing _path: The specified module could not be found.```

got error on freshly installed windows 10 22h2.

### Code for reproduction

```python
just import the module
`import matplotlib`

Actual outcome

import matplotlib

Traceback (most recent call last):

File "", line 1, in

File "C:\Users\HaLF-MenTaL\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python310\lib\site-packages\matplotlib_init_.py", line 113, in

from . import _api, _version, cbook, _docstring, rcsetup

File "C:\Users\HaLF-MenTaL\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python310\lib\site-packages\matplotlib\rcsetup.py", line 27, in

from matplotlib.colors import Colormap, is_color_like

File "C:\Users\HaLF-MenTaL\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python310\lib\site-packages\matplotlib\colors.py", line 56, in

from matplotlib import _api, _cm, cbook, scale

File "C:\Users\HaLF-MenTaL\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python310\lib\site-packages\matplotlib\scale.py", line 22, in

from matplotlib.ticker import (

File "C:\Users\HaLF-MenTaL\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python310\lib\site-packages\matplotlib\ticker.py", line 138, in

from matplotlib import transforms as mtransforms

File "C:\Users\HaLF-MenTaL\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python310\lib\site-packages\matplotlib\transforms.py", line 49, in

from matplotlib._path import (

ImportError: DLL load failed while importing _path: The specified module could not be found.

Expected outcome

the module should be successfully imported.

Additional information

No response

Operating system

Windows 10 Pro Version	22H2

Matplotlib Version

matplotlib-3.6.3

Matplotlib Backend

No response

Python version

Python 3.10.8

Jupyter version

No response

Installation

pip

Issue 2:
Bug summary

importing matplotlib on a fresh Windows machine or container fails with the following traceback:

>>> import matplotlib
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "<stdin>", line 1, in <module>
File "C:\Python\lib\site-packages\matplotlib\__init__.py", line 113, in <module>
from . import _api, _version, cbook, _docstring, rcsetup
File "C:\Python\lib\site-packages\matplotlib\rcsetup.py", line 27, in <module>
from matplotlib.colors import Colormap, is_color_like
File "C:\Python\lib\site-packages\matplotlib\colors.py", line 56, in <module>
from matplotlib import _api, _cm, cbook, scale
File "C:\Python\lib\site-packages\matplotlib\scale.py", line 22, in <module>
from matplotlib.ticker import (
File "C:\Python\lib\site-packages\matplotlib\ticker.py", line 138, in <module>
from matplotlib import transforms as mtransforms
File "C:\Python\lib\site-packages\matplotlib\transforms.py", line 49, in <module>
from matplotlib._path import (
ImportError: DLL load failed while importing _path: The specified module could not be found.

AFAIK, the DLL that's being called for isn't displayed here but I suspect this is something from the MSVC runtime.

Code for reproduction

docker run -it python:3.11.1-windowsservercore-1809 powershell
pip install matplotlib
python
import matplotlib

Actual outcome

Traceback (most recent call last):
File "<stdin>", line 1, in <module>
File "C:\Python\lib\site-packages\matplotlib\__init__.py", line 113, in <module>
from . import _api, _version, cbook, _docstring, rcsetup
File "C:\Python\lib\site-packages\matplotlib\rcsetup.py", line 27, in <module>
from matplotlib.colors import Colormap, is_color_like
File "C:\Python\lib\site-packages\matplotlib\colors.py", line 56, in <module>
from matplotlib import _api, _cm, cbook, scale
File "C:\Python\lib\site-packages\matplotlib\scale.py", line 22, in <module>
from matplotlib.ticker import (
File "C:\Python\lib\site-packages\matplotlib\ticker.py", line 138, in <module>
from matplotlib import transforms as mtransforms
File "C:\Python\lib\site-packages\matplotlib\transforms.py", line 49, in <module>
from matplotlib._path import (
ImportError: DLL load failed while importing _path: The specified module could not be found.

Expected outcome

matplotlib imports without errors.

Additional information

I think the MSVC runtime is currently a dependency of matplotlib and the required DLL should be distributed with the wheel. If I run pip install msvc-runtime the import works, maybe that package or something like it could be a transient OS-specific dependency.

Operating system

Windows 10

Matplotlib Version

Import fails (3.6.2, 3.6.1, 3.6.0)

Matplotlib Backend

Unknown, import fails

Python version

3.11.1

Jupyter version

N/A

Installation

pip