matplotlib and large array

Hi All,

i need to work with a relative large images "60 mb" (single band geotiff file)
i store it in python as a numpy array using python-gdal,
the array dinension is (7173 X 7924) single band image,
but tring to display it with matshow/imageshow
or other matplotlib functions i have that python freeze itself and is not able to load the image.

if i use a subset of the image, i 'm able to display it
or at least i hade to reduce its resolution using hacks like :

reduced_array = array[::3,::3]

i don't need full resolution dataset when the image is displaied with a full "zoom out"
so the reduction " reduced_array = array[::3,::3] " is good to show the complete image
but when i zoom in the image i obviously lost data (less resolution)

what do you use to display large dataset ?

i'm thinking about a "piramid" with multy array based on the different zoom levels
.. but maybe this idea is not so cool.
someone already has developed similar code ?

thanks to All for any suggestion!

Regards,

Massimo