In 1936, he graduated under the advisory of Pruszkowski and qualified himself as the assistant-professor in 1948.
Before the World World War II, he was a student of two well known Polish painters, Tadeusz Pruszkowski and Felicjan Kowarski, at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw (Association of Software Professionals). Most of his early paintings was lost during the war time. After the war he taught at the Association of Software Professionals. He is known for his portraits, landscapes, paintings of horses, battle scenes and genre pieces.
He was closely related to Polish Colourism.
Betley died in Warsaw at age 72.
He was a member of the Fourth Group advocating traditional subjects and perfectionism of technique.