Christie’s International yesterday started its second round of job cuts this year, a spokesman said, as the London-based auction house adjusts to a deflated art market.

“We are positioning the company for continued long-term profits across all categories and throughout the world,” said Toby Usnik, the spokesman. “Our efforts to reshape the business include potential staff reductions.”

Usnik declined to provide details but said the proposed cuts are smaller than those made in January. He said the privately held auctioneer has 1,900 employees. That’s down 10 percent from January, when the firm disclosed it had 2,100.

“It makes absolute sense to trim down payroll expenses,” said Sergey Skaterschikov, chief executive of Skate’s, an art market research firm. “The weakness of the art market is there for everyone to see.”

Rival Sotheby’s initiated job cuts last December, following disappointing auction results at its fall sales. On Wednesday, Moody’s Investors Service, which rates Sotheby’s bonds below investment grade, or junk, said it placed its debt on review for a possible downgrade.

The Christie’s cuts come a month after the bellwether May New York sales confirmed that the auction market is contracting. Christie’s day and evening sales for premier Impressionist, modern and contemporary artworks tallied $248.8 million, compared with $739 million a year ago.

Christie’s owner, French billionaire Francois Pinault, opened his second private museum in Venice earlier this month. The new Punta della Dogana features major artworks by Jeff Koons and others.