diff --git a/plotnine/_mpl/layout_manager/_plot_side_space.py b/plotnine/_mpl/layout_manager/_plot_side_space.py
index 15bd85564..01048298a 100644
--- a/plotnine/_mpl/layout_manager/_plot_side_space.py
+++ b/plotnine/_mpl/layout_manager/_plot_side_space.py
@@ -804,6 +804,11 @@ def _arrange_insets(self):
                 (x1, y1), (x2, y2) = self.panel_area_coordinates
             elif inset.align_to == "plot":
                 (x1, y1), (x2, y2) = self.plot_area_coordinates
+            elif inset.align_to == "footer":
+                if not self.plot.labels.get("footer", ""):
+                    continue
+
+                (x1, y1), (x2, y2) = self.footer_area_coordinates
             else:  # "full"
                 # Note that this isn't necessarily the figure's coordinates,
                 # rather the entire ggplot area.
@@ -980,6 +985,24 @@ def panel_area_coordinates(
         y1, y2 = self.b.panel_bottom, self.t.panel_top
         return ((x1, y1), (x2, y2))
 
+    @property
+    def footer_area_coordinates(
+        self,
+    ) -> tuple[tuple[float, float], tuple[float, float]]:
+        """
+        Lower-left and upper-right coordinates of the footer band
+
+        This is the strip reserved at the bottom of the figure for the
+        plot footer text and its margins. It spans the full plot width.
+        It has zero height when there is no footer text.
+        """
+        # Full plot width, matching where the footer background is drawn
+        x1 = self.l.offset
+        x2 = self.l.offset + self.plot_width
+        y1 = self.b.offset
+        y2 = self.b.offset + self.b.footer_height
+        return ((x1, y1), (x2, y2))
+
     def _calculate_panel_spacing(self) -> GridSpecParams:
         """
         Spacing between the panels (wspace & hspace)
diff --git a/plotnine/composition/_inset_element.py b/plotnine/composition/_inset_element.py
index 4fd8a5ae5..c5c7b2248 100644
--- a/plotnine/composition/_inset_element.py
+++ b/plotnine/composition/_inset_element.py
@@ -3,7 +3,9 @@
 from copy import deepcopy
 from dataclasses import dataclass
 from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Any, Literal
+from warnings import warn
 
+from ..exceptions import PlotnineWarning
 from ._inset_image import _InsetImage
 
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
@@ -48,6 +50,12 @@ class inset_element:
         - `"plot"`  — the panel plus axes, labels, titles, captions
            and legends
         - `"full"`  — everything the host plot occupies plus plot margin
+        - `"footer"` — the footer band at the bottom of the plot. Only
+           non-degenerate when the host has footer text (set with
+           `labs(footer=...)`); without it the band has zero height, the
+           inset is skipped, and a warning is issued. The band does not
+           grow to fit a taller inset — the inset overflows beyond it
+           instead.
     on_top :
         When `True` (default) the inset paints above the host plot.
         When `False`, the inset paints between the host's
@@ -98,7 +106,7 @@ class inset_element:
     bottom: float
     right: float
     top: float
-    align_to: Literal["panel", "plot", "full"] = "panel"
+    align_to: Literal["panel", "plot", "full", "footer"] = "panel"
     on_top: bool = True
     anchor: Anchor = "center"
 
@@ -249,10 +257,14 @@ class Insets(list[inset_element]):
     List of insets attached to a ggplot
     """
 
+    # The host plot these insets are drawn into.
+    _host: ggplot
+
     def _setup(self, parent: ggplot):
         """
         Inherit the host figure and figure-owner-only theme props
         """
+        self._host = parent
         for inset in self:
             inset._setup(parent)
 
@@ -273,6 +285,16 @@ def draw(self, which: Literal["above", "below"]):
             insets = [inset for inset in self if not inset.on_top][::-1]
 
         for inset in insets:
+            if inset.align_to == "footer" and not self._host.labels.get(
+                "footer", ""
+            ):
+                warn(
+                    "An inset with align_to='footer' was placed, but the "
+                    "plot has no footer text. The inset will not be shown. "
+                    "Set a footer with labs(footer=...).",
+                    PlotnineWarning,
+                )
+                continue
             inset._draw_in_host()
 
     def __and__(self, rhs) -> Insets:
diff --git a/plotnine/composition/_inset_image.py b/plotnine/composition/_inset_image.py
index 3d3ef7525..2df9e66e3 100644
--- a/plotnine/composition/_inset_image.py
+++ b/plotnine/composition/_inset_image.py
@@ -4,12 +4,14 @@
 from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Literal
 
 import numpy as np
+from PIL import Image
 from PIL.Image import Image as PILImage
 
 from ..themes.theme import theme
 
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
     from matplotlib.figure import Figure
+    from matplotlib.image import BboxImage
     from matplotlib.patches import Rectangle
     from matplotlib.transforms import Bbox
 
@@ -62,6 +64,10 @@ class _InsetImage:
     # ratio doesn't match.
     _anchor: tuple[float, float]
 
+    # BboxImage artist created in draw(); its data is updated by
+    # _arrange_in_box once the layout engine computes the final bbox.
+    _image_artist: BboxImage
+
     def __init__(
         self,
         image: PILImage | np.ndarray,
@@ -70,8 +76,8 @@ def __init__(
     ):
         from matplotlib.transforms import Bbox
 
-        self._image = image
-        self._image_size = _image_size(image)  # (W, H) px
+        self._image = _to_pil_image(image)
+        self._image_size = self._image.size  # (W, H) px
         self._frac_bbox = Bbox.unit()
         self._anchor = _resolve_anchor(anchor)
         self.theme = theme()
@@ -106,6 +112,8 @@ def _arrange_in_box(
             Fractional figure-coordinates of the box assigned to this
             inset by `inset_element.align_to`.
         """
+        from matplotlib.transforms import TransformedBbox
+
         l, b, r, t = _fit_aspect(
             left,
             bottom,
@@ -118,6 +126,26 @@ def _arrange_in_box(
         self._frac_bbox.bounds = (l, b, r - l, t - b)  # pyright: ignore[reportAttributeAccessIssue]
         self.patch.set_bounds(left, bottom, right - left, top - bottom)
 
+        # The layout engine has finalised the bbox, so its device-pixel
+        # size is now known. _fit_aspect preserves the source aspect, so
+        # both axes scale by the same factor.
+        source_w, source_h = self._image_size
+        tbox = TransformedBbox(self._frac_bbox, self.figure.transFigure)
+        tw = max(1, round(tbox.width))
+        th = max(1, round(tbox.height))
+        downscaling = tw < source_w and th < source_h
+
+        # LANCZOS to shrink: it antialiases the downscale.
+        # Not LANCZOS to enlarge: it looks hazy and rings badly on
+        # hard edges, so NEAREST.
+        if downscaling:
+            resampling = Image.Resampling.LANCZOS
+        else:
+            resampling = Image.Resampling.NEAREST
+
+        resized = self._image.resize((tw, th), resampling)
+        self._image_artist.set_data(np.asarray(resized))
+
     def draw(self):
         from matplotlib.image import BboxImage
         from matplotlib.transforms import TransformedBbox
@@ -127,11 +155,13 @@ def draw(self):
         self.theme._setup(self)  # pyright: ignore[reportArgumentType]
         self._draw_plot_background()
 
-        image_artist = BboxImage(
-            TransformedBbox(self._frac_bbox, self.figure.transFigure)
+        tbox = TransformedBbox(self._frac_bbox, self.figure.transFigure)
+        # The image data is set later by _arrange_in_box, once the layout
+        # engine has computed the final device-pixel dimensions.
+        self._image_artist = BboxImage(
+            tbox, interpolation="none", resample=False
         )
-        image_artist.set_data(np.asarray(self._image))
-        self.figure.add_artist(image_artist)
+        self.figure.add_artist(self._image_artist)
 
         self.theme.apply()
 
@@ -150,16 +180,22 @@ def _draw_plot_background(self):
         self.theme.targets.plot_background = self.patch
 
 
-def _image_size(obj: PILImage | np.ndarray) -> tuple[int, int]:
+def _to_pil_image(obj: PILImage | np.ndarray) -> PILImage:
     """
-    Return the (width, height) of a PIL image or ndarray in pixels
+    Normalise an image input to a PIL Image for resampling
+
+    A `PIL.Image` is returned unchanged. A uint8 ndarray (L / RGB /
+    RGBA) is wrapped directly. A float ndarray follows matplotlib's
+    `[0, 1]` convention and is clipped then scaled to uint8; the final
+    inset output is an 8-bit raster regardless, so nothing visible is
+    lost.
     """
     if isinstance(obj, PILImage):
-        return obj.size  # PIL exposes (W, H)
-
+        return obj
     arr = np.asarray(obj)
-    h, w = arr.shape[:2]  # ndarray is HWC or HW
-    return w, h
+    if arr.dtype != np.uint8:
+        arr = (np.clip(arr, 0, 1) * 255).round().astype(np.uint8)
+    return Image.fromarray(arr)
 
 
 # Named anchors → (h, v) fractions in [0, 1]², where `h = 0`
diff --git a/tests/baseline_images/test_inset_element/footer_inset_no_footer_text.png b/tests/baseline_images/test_inset_element/footer_inset_no_footer_text.png
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..687c236e2
Binary files /dev/null and b/tests/baseline_images/test_inset_element/footer_inset_no_footer_text.png differ
diff --git a/tests/baseline_images/test_inset_element/footer_logo_right_aligned.png b/tests/baseline_images/test_inset_element/footer_logo_right_aligned.png
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2f15f1c52
Binary files /dev/null and b/tests/baseline_images/test_inset_element/footer_logo_right_aligned.png differ
diff --git a/tests/baseline_images/test_inset_element/footer_plot_right_aligned.png b/tests/baseline_images/test_inset_element/footer_plot_right_aligned.png
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9bab5503a
Binary files /dev/null and b/tests/baseline_images/test_inset_element/footer_plot_right_aligned.png differ
diff --git a/tests/baseline_images/test_inset_element/image_aspect_fit_bottom.png b/tests/baseline_images/test_inset_element/image_aspect_fit_bottom.png
index 2b6836d7d..690eacc4e 100644
Binary files a/tests/baseline_images/test_inset_element/image_aspect_fit_bottom.png and b/tests/baseline_images/test_inset_element/image_aspect_fit_bottom.png differ
diff --git a/tests/baseline_images/test_inset_element/image_aspect_fit_top_right.png b/tests/baseline_images/test_inset_element/image_aspect_fit_top_right.png
index 7a9210ca9..ff58d8e2e 100644
Binary files a/tests/baseline_images/test_inset_element/image_aspect_fit_top_right.png and b/tests/baseline_images/test_inset_element/image_aspect_fit_top_right.png differ
diff --git a/tests/baseline_images/test_inset_element/image_standalone.png b/tests/baseline_images/test_inset_element/image_standalone.png
index cd8c53adc..6a30d570a 100644
Binary files a/tests/baseline_images/test_inset_element/image_standalone.png and b/tests/baseline_images/test_inset_element/image_standalone.png differ
diff --git a/tests/test_inset_element.py b/tests/test_inset_element.py
index a0df9dcb8..22e13e209 100644
--- a/tests/test_inset_element.py
+++ b/tests/test_inset_element.py
@@ -1,18 +1,26 @@
 import numpy as np
+import pandas as pd
 import pytest
 from PIL import Image, ImageDraw
 
 from plotnine import (
+    aes,
+    coord_cartesian,
     element_line,
     element_rect,
     element_text,
     facet_wrap,
+    geom_col,
+    ggplot,
     labs,
     theme,
+    theme_void,
 )
 from plotnine._utils.yippie import geom as g
 from plotnine._utils.yippie import plot
 from plotnine.composition import inset_element, plot_annotation
+from plotnine.exceptions import PlotnineWarning
+from plotnine.themes.elements import margin
 
 
 def _smiley() -> np.ndarray:
@@ -374,3 +382,65 @@ def test_inset_on_facet_host():
         + inset_element(plot.tomato, 0, 0, 0.25, 0.25)
     )
     assert p == "inset_on_facet_host"
+
+
+class TestFooterInset:
+    """
+    align_to="footer" maps the inset bbox onto the footer band
+    """
+
+    p = (
+        plot.white
+        + labs(footer="Source: Example Corp")
+        + theme(
+            plot_margin=0.01,
+            plot_footer=element_text(
+                margin=margin(t=0.01, b=0.01, unit="fig")
+            ),
+            plot_footer_background=element_rect(fill="#E9E9E9"),
+        )
+    )
+
+    def test_footer_logo_right_aligned(self):
+        # A logo placed in the right portion of the footer band, inline
+        # with left-justified footer text.
+        p = self.p + inset_element(
+            SMILEY_FACE,
+            left=0.85,
+            bottom=0.15,
+            right=1 - 0.01,
+            top=0.85,
+            align_to="footer",
+            anchor="right",
+        )
+        assert p == "footer_logo_right_aligned"
+
+    def test_footer_plot_right_aligned(self):
+        # A plot placed in the right portion of the footer band, inline
+        # with left-justified footer text.
+        data = pd.DataFrame({"x": ["a", "b", "c"], "y": [1, 2, 3]})
+        p_inset = (
+            ggplot(data, aes("x", "y", fill="x"))
+            + geom_col(show_legend=False)
+            + coord_cartesian(expand=False)
+            + theme_void()
+        )
+        p = self.p + inset_element(
+            p_inset,
+            left=0.85,
+            bottom=0.15,
+            right=1 - 0.01,
+            top=0.85,
+            align_to="footer",
+        )
+        assert p == "footer_plot_right_aligned"
+
+    def test_footer_inset_without_footer_text(self):
+        # No footer text -> degenerate footer band. The inset is skipped
+        # and a warning is emitted; the rendered plot is just the host.
+        # The == comparison draws the plot, which triggers the warning.
+        p = plot.white + inset_element(
+            SMILEY_FACE, 0.9, 0.0, 1.0, 1.0, align_to="footer"
+        )
+        with pytest.warns(PlotnineWarning, match="no footer text"):
+            assert p == "footer_inset_no_footer_text"