I got the solution from Ryan of the matplotlib users mailing list. It's quite elegant, so I will share his example here:
import numpy as np
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
from matplotlib.patches import Rectangle
from matplotlib.collections import PatchCollection
n = 100
# Get your xy data points, which are the centers of the rectangles.
xy = np.random.rand(n,2)
# Set a fixed height
height = 0.02
# The variable widths of the rectangles
widths = np.random.rand(n)*0.1
# Get a color map and make some colors
cmap = plt.cm.hsv
colors = np.random.rand(n)*10.
# Make a normalized array of colors
colors_norm = colors/colors.max()
# Here's where you have to make a ScalarMappable with the colormap
mappable = plt.cm.ScalarMappable(cmap=cmap)
# Give it your non-normalized color data
mappable.set_array(colors)
rects = []
for p, w in zip(xy, widths):
xpos = p[0] - w/2 # The x position will be half the width from the center
ypos = p[1] - height/2 # same for the y position, but with height
rect = Rectangle( (xpos, ypos), w, height ) # Create a rectangle
rects.append(rect) # Add the rectangle patch to our list
# Create a collection from the rectangles
col = PatchCollection(rects)
# set the alpha for all rectangles
col.set_alpha(0.3)
# Set the colors using the colormap
col.set_facecolor( cmap(colors_norm) )
# No lines
col.set_linewidth( 0 )
#col.set_edgecolor( 'none' )
# Make a figure and add the collection to the axis.
fig = plt.figure()
ax = fig.add_subplot(111)
ax.add_collection(col)
# Add your ScalarMappable to a figure colorbar
fig.colorbar(mappable)
plt.show()
Thank you, Ryan, and everyone who contributed their ideas!