diff --git a/python/damask/_colormap.py b/python/damask/_colormap.py
index 6803f4c60..87135caf9 100644
--- a/python/damask/_colormap.py
+++ b/python/damask/_colormap.py
@@ -36,6 +36,17 @@ class Colormap(mpl.colors.ListedColormap):
         """Return inverted colormap."""
         return self.reversed()
 
+    def __repr__(self):
+        """Show colormap as matplotlib figure."""
+        fig = plt.figure(figsize=(5,.5))
+        ax1 = fig.add_axes([0, 0, 1, 1])
+        ax1.set_axis_off()
+        ax1.imshow(np.linspace(0,1,self.N).reshape(1,-1),
+                   aspect='auto', cmap=self, interpolation='nearest')
+        plt.show(block = False)
+        return self.name
+
+
     @staticmethod
     def from_range(low,high,name='DAMASK colormap',N=256,model='rgb'):
         """
@@ -203,18 +214,6 @@ class Colormap(mpl.colors.ListedColormap):
             mode='RGBA')
 
 
-    def show(self,aspect=10,vertical=False):
-        """Show colormap as matplotlib figure."""
-        fig = plt.figure(figsize=(5/aspect,5) if vertical else (5,5/aspect))
-        ax1 = fig.add_axes([0, 0, 1, 1])
-        ax1.set_axis_off()
-        ax1.imshow(np.linspace(1 if vertical else 0,
-                               0 if vertical else 1,
-                               self.N).reshape((-1,1) if vertical else (1,-1)),
-                   aspect='auto', cmap=self, interpolation='nearest')
-        plt.show()
-
-
     def reversed(self,name=None):
         """
         Make a reversed instance of the colormap.
diff --git a/python/damask/_geom.py b/python/damask/_geom.py
index d364ad6e8..f75a48fff 100644
--- a/python/damask/_geom.py
+++ b/python/damask/_geom.py
@@ -555,8 +555,7 @@ class Geom:
 
     def show(self):
         """Show on screen."""
-        v = VTK.from_rectilinear_grid(self.grid,self.size,self.origin)
-        v.show()
+        VTK.from_rectilinear_grid(self.grid,self.size,self.origin).show()
 
 
     def add_primitive(self,dimension,center,exponent,
diff --git a/python/tests/conftest.py b/python/tests/conftest.py
index 5f5de52ba..f402c4614 100644
--- a/python/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/python/tests/conftest.py
@@ -1,8 +1,13 @@
 from pathlib import Path
 import datetime
+import os
 
 import numpy as np
 import pytest
+import matplotlib as mpl
+if os.name == 'posix' and 'DISPLAY' not in os.environ:
+    mpl.use('Agg')
+import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
 
 import damask
 
@@ -13,7 +18,6 @@ def patch_damask_version(monkeypatch):
     """Set damask.version for reproducible tests results."""
     monkeypatch.setattr(damask, 'version', patched_version)
 
-
 patched_date = datetime.datetime(2019, 11, 2, 11, 58, 0)
 @pytest.fixture
 def patch_datetime_now(monkeypatch):
@@ -34,6 +38,12 @@ def patch_execution_stamp(monkeypatch):
 
     monkeypatch.setattr(damask.util, 'execution_stamp', execution_stamp)
 
+@pytest.fixture
+def patch_plt_show(monkeypatch):
+    def _None(block=None):
+        pass
+    monkeypatch.setattr(plt, 'show', _None, raising=True)
+
 
 def pytest_addoption(parser):
     parser.addoption("--update",
diff --git a/python/tests/test_Colormap.py b/python/tests/test_Colormap.py
index 9b317b451..279f7eea9 100644
--- a/python/tests/test_Colormap.py
+++ b/python/tests/test_Colormap.py
@@ -20,6 +20,9 @@ class TestColormap:
     def _patch_execution_stamp(self, patch_execution_stamp):
         print('patched damask.util.execution_stamp')
 
+    def test_repr(self,patch_plt_show):
+        print(Colormap.from_predefined('stress'))
+
     def test_conversion(self):
         specials = np.array([[0.,0.,0.],
                              [1.,0.,0.],