Here are some of the solutions proposed for matplotlib: with qt4agg backend:
fig = gcf()
fig.canvas.manager.window.raise_()
Here is one that works with tk backend:
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
wm = plt.get_current_fig_manager()
wm.window.attributes('-topmost', 1)
wm.window.attributes('-topmost', 0)
So, that is what I meant by gyrations. I'll put the second on in a code
fragment and post in a second.
